Kismet
by DrSmartyPants
Summary: What if Jane had accepted her offer at BCU and gone to college instead of enrolling in the academy? This piece offers a glimpse at what could have been.
1. Chapter 1

Kismet

Chapter One

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ Everyone loves a friendly game of softball, right? Even the annual plumbers versus carpenters game brings about a softball rookie to the diamond.

"C'mon, Frankie!" cheered a woman in the crowded bleachers at Shea Field. She had a round face and brown hair down past her shoulders. A few people in the bleachers turned around and looked at her but they all didn't seem surprised. The majority of the individuals gathered all knew each other. It was a long standing traditional that every year on this particular spring day, citizens of the Greater Boston area and its surrounding counties gathered at the baseball diamond to watch the local plumbers and their children duke it out against the local carpenters and theirs in a game of softball. Currently up to bat was a tall, broodingly handsome man in his early twenties wearing a dark navy shirt with 'Rizzoli & Sons' in bold white lettering on the back. Every individual on the Plumbers' team wore navy blue jerseys with their personal logo on the back. The carpenters had white jerseys with brown lettering.

"Show 'em how it's done, Frankie!" yelled a svelte brunette with a high pony tail as she rattled the fencing she stood behind. She was sporting the same navy blue jersey as him with the same anagram on the back even though she clearly wasn't a Rizzoli son. He shot her a look as he approached the mound, bat and helmet in hand.

The pitcher scuffed his feet in the ground before sneering,

"Looks like you got your personal cheering squad there, Rizzoli."

"Shut it, Morris!" spat back Frankie before looking over to the pit, "And you, Janie, knock it off. I've got enough with Ma out in the stands. I'm glad Pop stopped her from bringing the blow horn. She's loud enough people back downtown can probably hear her."

Jane held up her hands in the internationally understood sign of surrender and took a step back from the fence without saying a word. Frankie slammed the helmet onto his head and steadied his stance on the mound and waited for the pitch. Only a few seconds later, the definite thwack of bat to ball resonated across the field followed by the distinct sound of a bat hitting the ground as feet rushed from home to first. For a brief moment, the spectators and players were quiet until Frankie neared first base and then loud cheering began just as Frankie planted his feet squarely on first base.

"Hey, Misses Rizzoli!"  
The woman from earlier looked up and smiled as she spotted and recognized Matteo walking up the aisle of the bleachers. She didn't recognize the pristinely well dressed woman following closely behind him. He would casually look back to ensure she was managing the stairs properly. Matteo was one of her children's childhood friends and she had the opportunity to see him grow up into the man that stood before her today.

"Matteo!" she gestured emphatically for them to come sit down next to her, "Sweetheart, come sit down. How's your mother?"

He chuckled at the realization that Angela Rizzoli had not changed one bit. He let his companion go before him and helped her navigate the bleacher seats. Angela forced people next to her to scoot down the bench and made room for her two new bench companions.

"She's fine and as a matter of fact was asking about you the other day. You two should get together," he said as he finally got closer to Angela.

"Who's the girl, Matteo?" she said just above a whisper, nodding towards the girl behind him as he sat down next to her. The woman in question looked over towards them as she sat down, carefully sweeping her dress underneath her and pushing her honey locks off her shoulders before leaning over Matteo,

"This is Angela Rizzoli, almost like a second mother to me growin' up" he explained.

"Hi, Maura Isles. Nice to meet you," she gingerly shook Angela's hand before settling back on the bench, crossing her legs and neatly folding her hands in her lap after placing her purse next to her. She looked out towards the diamond and meticulously scrutinized the players in the outfield.

"Maura is currently studying at BCU and surprisingly has never seen a softball game. So I thought that needed to be changed and what better game than the annual Carps versus the Plumbs," explained Matteo.

"My Janie is also at BCU," she started proudly, "Maybe you know her, she's..." she slapped Matteo's knee a few times, "Oh, oh, she's up! GO JANIE!" she yelled. Maura smiled at the enthusiasm Angela Rizzoli showed for her daughter and briefly a pang of anguish washed over her at the realization that her mother probably never demonstrated any such sentiments. She quickly pushed those feelings down and looked over to home base to see one of the only females out in the field step up to the home plate. It was true that she'd never been to a softball game but when Matteo insisted on bringing her to this one a week ago, she did what she always does – read up on the subject. According to what she'd read, Jane must be well versed in softball. Her stance was immaculate, her grip was loose and low on the bat, and she connected immediately with the ball.

"There aren't many girls on the field. Your daughter certainly handles herself well out there, Misses Rizzoli," Maura stated and immediately saw the pride in Angela's eyes.

"You can call me Angela, and Janie grew up with two brothers, I don't think she knows any different. I tried and tried to get her in dresses and playing less masculine games growing up but she wanted nothin' to do with any of it."

"She broke my nose once playing touch football when we were teens," Matteo added and Angela rolled her eyes. Maura laughed at the image of a younger Matteo getting injured by a girl and couldn't help but think of how defeated he must have felt.

"That must have been hard for you, Matteo," Maura admitted and gave him a small smile. He simply shrugged and kept his eyes on the field. It seemed as though Jane hit a home run. The ball was still soaring through the air heading towards the outfield fence. Everyone was waiting to see whether it would fall beyond it or not. The spectators roared when the ball fell on the other side and Jane stopped to look towards the outfield and grinned. She leisurely strutted from third back to home base. She was the last batter up in the order for their team and they'd chosen to play only 5 innings this time around and the home run was the perfect way to end it. The teams never officially kept score but they all individually really did and would silently pat each other on the back if their team won. Jane jogged up to Frankie and swatted his arm,

"Look at pop, he looks so proud. Thanks for playing, Frankie," she said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks for being the third son he never got. I'm sure this helps with the whole Tommy fiasco," he said in reply just as Frank Sr walked up to them and was about to say something when Angela's voiced boomed over the crowd.

"Jane!"

"Ma?" Jane looked around bewildered to see where her mother was but couldn't find her. Angela had a knack of showing up out of nowhere. Jane chalked it up to magical powers women like Angela Rizzoli acquired when they bring up three kids.

"Frank? Frankie!"

"Ma!" both Jane and Frankie exclaimed as Angela kept shouting out for them.

A few seconds later, they saw her bobbing out from the crowd emptying the bleachers followed by one familiar face and an unfamiliar one. Angela walked up to her gang and smiled broadly,

"You guys were all so wonderful!" she extended the 'ful' as she grabbed each one's face and kissed them on the cheek. Both Jane and Frankie pulled faces and quickly rubbed their cheeks.

"You guys remember Matteo, right?" Angela gestured to Matteo and then quickly jumped back in, "And this is Maura... his -"

"Tutor," Maura interjected, smiling at them before throwing out her hand to the rest of the Rizzoli clan. Jane quickly removed her gloves to shake Maura's hand. They temporarily locked eyes and held each other's hand slightly longer than is usually customary for a quick handshake. Maura was slightly surprised at the strong and firm handshake. Her eyes slowly dropped from Jane's and sauntered down from her shoulder to her hand.

"Oh yes, Maura goes to BCU too! Maybe you and Jane have classes together," Angela said. Maura looked over to her as she let go of Jane's hand. She shifted her gaze to Frank Sr. He was such the quiet type and she wondered if he had just assumed the role because his wife seemed to enjoy talking so much or if he had always been quiet to start with.

"What are you taking, Jane?" Maura asked intrigued. Jane huffed and glared at her mother. She always did this and Jane honestly wished she didn't. She understood why she did but it was just so embarrassing.

"Justice Studies, you?" Jane replied.

"Applied Sciences... I help Matteo with his statistics," Maura answered promptly. Jane forced a smile as her eyes finally took in all of Maura – her sharp and crisp blouse, her nicely ironed skirt and her pristine heels. She was everything Angela wanted her to be and everything that Jane had spent her childhood, teenager years, and to this day rebelling against.

"Well, it's been nice guys but the game ran late and I've got a leaky faucet that needs fixing in the South end so I better get going," Frank Sr explained as he busied himself with shaking Matteo and Maura's hands,

"It was nice seeing you again, Matteo, tell your parents I said hello. Maura, it was nice meeting you," and with that he turned to head to his car.

"Frank! Frank!" Angela ran after him, "You drove us here! What were you going to do? Just desert me?"

Both Frankie and Jane exchanged looks and shrugged at the same time.

"Looks like I'm riding with you, sis," Frankie teased and Jane just rolled her eyes with an exaggerated sigh,

"Great... just don't touch the radio. Last time, you screwed with all my preset stations," she looked back to Matteo and Maura, "I'd love to catch up, Matteo, but you know how ma is on game day. She's going to expect us for dinner and we've got a half an hour drive to get back. I'm sure we'll run into each other on campus."

She didn't really believe it and deep down inside she hoped they wouldn't. Matteo had a crush on Jane for the better half of their high school years and it was just uncomfortable to be around him. She felt as though he might still be hoping for something more.

"Maybe I'll drop by later. I sure miss your ma's cannolis," he grinned. Maura shifted her weight and adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder before clearing her throat. She was usually the socially awkward one but even she could recognize the awkward tension floating in the air as Matteo and Jane exchanged words. Jane slowly glanced back to Maura and smiled,

"Maura, I hope you enjoyed yourself today. It was quite a game and good luck with this one. He used to cheat on me in math class," she stuck her thumb towards Matteo before turning around to head to the parking lot.

"Thanks!" Maura shouted in Jane's direction, offering a small wave. As she silently watched the siblings became smaller and smaller in the distance, she couldn't quite put her finger on it but there was just something about Jane Rizzoli. She'd have to come up with some way to run into her own campus.

"Justice Studies, right?" she asked Matteo and he looked towards Maura with an eyebrow raised,

"Yeah, Justice Studies. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious" was her response.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ The idea for this overall story arc came to me a while I was rewatching season one and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ A pleasant encounter brought to you by Maura's uncharacteristic forgetfulness and Jane's unwavering chivalry.

Outside on the streets of Porter Square in Cambridge, the winds were relentlessly blowing and the eminence of winter was unavoidable. Spring had quickly melted into summer, and summer had faded into fall and soon, fall would be whisked away by more cold winds and the city would be blanketed in white. As she made her way up Massachusetts Avenue from Linneaen Street, Jane bowed her head against the winds and wrapped her arms tightly across her stomach. At this very moment, she cursed herself for choosing to wear this particular jacket. She made a mental note to invest in a leather jacket with a warmer lining before snow actually stuck to the ground. She beelined passed the Rite Aid on the corner and quickly made her way down the sidewalk before darting into the warmth of Simon's Coffee Shop. The bright yellow and red of the walls assaulted her eyes as the smell of coffee calmed her. She inhaled deeply and smiled broadly at the thought that soon her hands would be wrapped around a warm cup of coffee and for a few minutes, she wouldn't have to think about anything. The narrow cafe was unusually populated for this time of day and she glanced down to her watch to check that she wasn't wrong in thinking so. She shrugged her shoulders and unzipped her jacket and joined the queue.  
A few minutes later, the line had gone nowhere and Jane's patience was wearing thin. She was never one to be patient, especially if it meant being caffeinated or not. She looked back down at her watch and let out an exaggerated sigh. She poked her head left and right before folding her arms stubbornly across her abdomen and muttering,

"Seriously?" under her breath and quickly added, "Really?"

Jane peered around the man standing in front of her towards the front of the line to try to ascertain what the possible hold-up was. In all her time frequenting this coffee shop, the line rarely, if ever, was at a standstill. The employee dealing with whoever was holding up the line seemed rather frazzled.

"I am so sorry. This is so embarrassing! I can't seem to find my wallet," a familiar voice reached Jane's ears. One she couldn't quite put her finger on. With no patience left, and in desperate need of a caffeine fix, Jane stepped out of the queue and reached the front of the line in a few long strides.

"What seems to be the problem?" she asked, standing behind a mass of honey curls pulled into a loose ponytail and it hit her.

"I must have forgotten it on the table this morning when I was rushing to…"  
Jane quickly pulled out her wallet and placed a twenty and her punch card on the counter and slid it towards the barista. At the same time, she leaned in close to Maura and whispered,

"I've got this," and then raised her voice, "Add a regular coffee to whatever she ordered."

"Jane?"

Maura turned around so quickly that Jane had to take a step back to avoid being whipped by her hair.

"Yes?" Jane grinned and was slightly taken aback at how flustered Maura looked. Once again, she was well dressed and this did not go unnoticed by Jane. She may not spend much on the items in her wardrobe or invest much time in how she looked in the morning but that did not mean that these things went unnoticed by her. Despite how well composed she was on the exterior, her face relayed a different message.

"Thank you. As I was saying, I think I forgot my wallet on the table this morning when I was rushing around. I had to teach a first year course that I am assisting in. The professor wasn't able to make it and so everything was very last minute. I'm usually much more prepared," she spoke quickly and Jane just laughed a little, patting her arm.

"It's all right. Slow down," she reached over and grabbed her change, shoving it into her pocket before reaching for their drinks. She handed Maura hers and then looked at the people lined-up,

"Really? No one was going to help her out?" she shook her head and moved over to the little area with the milk, cream, and sugar. Maura stood in her spot until Jane looked at her and raised an eyebrow,

"Are you just going to stand there? Your coffee will get cold," she teased as she generously added sugar to her coffee and a splash of creamer. Maura was quickly by her side adding only a sprinkle of brown sugar and a dash of low fat milk. Jane held her tongue and just sipped her coffee happily.

"Aahhh, this is what nirvana must be like," she whispered against the lip of her cup with her eyes closed. She relished the warmth seeping through the cup and into her hands and the lingering taste of the coffee on her taste buds.

"Did you know that nirvana is the central concept in Indian religions? At its root, it actually means 'blowing out' and it's commonly believed that this refers to the blowing of the fires of delusion, greed, and hatred… Ultimately leading to true happiness... Nirvana," Maura blurted out with an unwavering tone as she took a sip of her coffee. Jane looked over towards her and stared blankly,

"Is that so?"

This girl was a lot stranger than she originally appeared to be last spring when she'd met her after the softball game.

"Mmmhmm," Maura hummed with a pleased look on her face. She stood there in a pair of dark washed jeans, tanned ankle boots, and a matching three quarter trench, with her purse dangling from the crook of her bent arm and holding her coffee. Jane thought she belonged in a fashion magazine rather than this coffee shop.

"Oh, a table is freeing up. Join me?" Maura asked but it sounded more like a demand and Jane felt as though she would be a fool to say no. Maybe this was just Maura's way and who is she to judge her so early on? She'd give her a chance. Jane followed Maura to the table as the current occupants vacated and she sat down while Maura hung her purse on the back of the chair and unbuttoned her coat.

"Thank you again for the coffee, Jane. I really appreciate it," she sighed as she slipped into the chair. Jane slowly looked up from her coffee and definitely agreed with her previous thought. Maura belonged in a fashion magazine or on a runway. She was becoming suddenly hyper aware of how she failed in every way at fulfilling the societal expectations of womanhood. And before she could process her thoughts, she asked,

"Do you even own a pair of sweats?"

She inwardly cursed herself and her bluntness at times but was quickly relieved when she heard Maura laugh.

"I do. I think they have BCU imprinted across the back. I'm not sure when I acquired them but I've never worn them," she admitted and Jane rolled her eyes.

"Then that defeats the whole purpose of having them. So what do you wear around the house? You know, comfy clothes?"

Maura looked down to her teal shirt and thumbed the soft material before looking back to Jane,

"This?"

Jane sat up a little straighter in her chair and pointed up and down at Maura's clothes,

"This… those are not comfy clothes."

"To me they are," Maura quickly interjected and a silence comfortably settled between them for a moment. Jane was taken aback at just how natural this felt considering the fact that they hardly knew each other. Heck, this was the second time they were ever in each other's company and quite honestly, the five minutes more than half a year ago barely counted. She had had more awkward encounters with friends and family members she'd known for the better half of her life.

"You're an odd one, Maura…" she admitted and for once and was assured with the feeling that her bluntness would not offend the receiver. And she was right. Maura simply offered a small smile before sipping her coffee. Jane noticed how she closed her eyes whenever she sipped as if taking a moment to truly appreciate the coffee.

"So I have been told," Maura replied before continuing, "How's your mother? She's quite a character."

Jane breathed in heavily before sighing and leaning back in her chair. She looked up at the ceiling, weighing her options, divert the conversation, pick and choose her words carefully, or open up to a stranger. She generally didn't like to discuss her personal life with strangers and Maura was definitely a stranger at this point. But before she could stop herself, she was explaining how her parents were going through a rough patch which made the domestic environment rather tense. Maura just listened carefully as she finished her coffee, allowing Jane to speak freely. She viewed Jane as the withdrawn type who didn't open up easily and so she cherished this very glimpse at the raw Jane with her barriers slightly broken down. Soon, both their coffees ran dry and out of respect for the other coffee shop goers, they vacated their table and stepped back out onto the cold streets.

Despite the crisp chill in the air, they started walking up Massachusetts Avenue towards Somerville. After some time, Jane wondered whether they were walking with any particular destination in mind or just walking to walk. She once again wrapped her arms around herself tightly and cursed herself for not wearing layers.

"Do we have a destination?" she finally cut into their conversation because not knowing was eating away at her. Maura stopped in her tracks and looked around before glancing to her left to Jane,

"That completely escaped my mind. I actually live in the neighbourhood. Where are you headed tonight?" Maura had taken for granted that perhaps Jane didn't live in Cambridge, perhaps she lived elsewhere and commuted for classes. She frowned at herself and how dismissive she could be sometimes and mentally chastised herself for doing so.

"I actually should be heading home. Ma's probably wondering where I am. She forgets that I'm a fully capable adult most of the time," she wasn't about to start explaining why she lived at home or where home was or that she had more than an hour commute before she was home. That could be conversation fodder for another time, if there was another time.

"Must be nice," Maura uttered barely audible but Jane heard her words but decided to let it slip. The cold was seeping down into her bones and she was itching to get into her car and turn the heat on full blast. However, this goodbye business was slightly more awkward than either of them could have anticipated. They weren't exactly yet friends just merely two individuals who had run into each other and shared a table in a crowded coffee shop while enjoying their coffees.

"Jane, it's been a pleasure. Once again, thank you for the coffee," Maura decided to slice through the awkwardness, she was used to it by now. She'd lived with it her whole life. It seemed to just follow her around like a dark cloud. She extended her hand out to Jane,

"We should do this again sometime. My treat," she smiled and Jane grasped her hand in that secure and strong handshake of hers.

"That would be nice," and with that she confirmed that yes, there would be another time.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ The idea for this overall story arc came to me a while I was rewatching season one and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ The aftermath of the unexpected coffee "date".

The drive home from Cambridge was rather uneventful and seemed to last twice as long as it usual did. When she finally pulled into the driveway and shifted into park, she sat in her car with the engine running. She breathed in deeply, gripped the steering wheel and pushed herself back into the seat. Why was it that she couldn't make sense of anything at the moment? She turned the ignition off and leaned her forehead against the steering wheel. The last few hours were all a jumble in her mind and she let out a rough sigh as she rubbed her face. From what she could garner in the small amount of time that she'd spent in Maura's presence was that the woman was strange to say the least. Maura Isles was the embodiment of all things Jane rebelled against. She was one of those girls that probably woke up looking fabulous and Jane envied her for that. She was the kind of girl that Jane made fun of with her brothers. Actually, Frankie and Jane may have exchanged a few jokes on the way back from the softball game last spring and now she felt horrible in remembering. Jane was battling with what she was used to and what had just taken place in that coffee shop. Despite her awkwardness, Maura had a way about her that made Jane feel safe; an air of silently letting her know that it was all right to be herself, that she didn't need to put up a tough girl front for her and normally, Jane would pull out everything from her evasion repertoire to avoid what she was feeling right at that very moment – the unexplainable need to see Maura and be in her presence again. She whispered to herself in the darkness,

"Get a grip, Jane."

She jerked up in her seat as she heard the front door open. She quickly pulled the keys from the ignition before stepping out of her car and rushing up to the front door before her mother alerted the entire neighbourhood with her booming voice.

"Before you start, ma, I know I'm late and I didn't call. Ran into a friend and had coffee in Cambridge. Lost track of time," Jane quickly tried to appease her mother as she stepped into the house. She never brought up the adult card or how she shouldn't have to tell her mother where she was at all hours of the day. No, Jane knew better than to pull out that card. She'd done it once and that did not end well. She knew that as long as she continued living under her mother's roof, she had to follow her rules.

"A friend?" Angela perked up as she closed the door behind her.

"Yeah, well… I don't know If you could call her my friend," she mumbled as she shrugged off her coat and hung it in the front closet.

"Her?" Angela asked, her voice going up an octave. When Jane looked over to her, she rolled her eyes,

"Ma… Don't go there," she pressed before kicking off her shoes, "Do you remember Maura? The girl who was with Matteo last spring at the softball game?"

Jane wandered off into the kitchen and opened the fridge. She stood in front of its glow, eying the shelves. She wasn't quite sure if she was even hungry or just looking for a distraction.

"The well dressed and good mannered blonde? Yes, I remember her," she answered and without even pausing continued, "Honey, I left you some lasagna. It's keepin' warm in the oven," and with that she gestured to the oven.

"Thanks, "Jane said as she pulled some fresh parmesan from the fridge before removing the leftover lasagna from the oven. She busied herself with grating some cheese on top of the hot dish.

"What about her, Jane?" Angela pressed her daughter for more information knowing full well that Jane would not divulge any information willingly. She followed Jane around the kitchen, picking up after her. Jane leaned against the counter, bringing the plate up and began eating.

"Would you just… I'll clean up after I'm done eating," Jane mumbled through a mouthful. Angela just pushed Jane out of the way and directed her towards the dining room table.

"I brought you up with better manners than to stand eating in the kitchen. Sit," she reached up and pushed Jane down into a chair by her shoudlers. Jane dropped her plate onto the table and groaned,

"Seriously, ma?"

Angela ignored Jane's tone and went back into the kitchen to grab the cup of coffee she had been nursing before Jane arrived then joined her at the table. She took a seat across from her daughter.

"So you ran into Maura and had coffee?" Angela tried to steer the conversation back with little subtlety.

Jane glared up from her plate, wishing she had come up with some other reason as to why she was late or hadn't called but it was too late now. It was out in the open. She sighed and pushed a piece of lasagna around on her plate.

"Yeah, I stopped by Simon's for a cup of coffee for the drive home and ran into her," she began explaining but soon found herself saying more, "She's nice… weird but nice. I mean, we didn't talk for long. I just bought her coffee and we talked. That's it. Satisfied?"

Jane busied herself with finishing off her plate, keeping her eyes down on her food. She could feel her mother's eyes on her and didn't dare look up. She braced herself for her to bring _it_ up but she never did.

"You bought her coffee?" Angela reiterated and Jane knew exactly what she was trying to get at. Jane pretended she hadn't heard her and looked around,

"Where's pop?"

She was trying to diffuse the situation but she was also curious as to where the rest of the Rizzolis were.

"You always do this, Jane," Angela exclaimed and Jane could hear the frustration in her voice and suddenly felt a slight pang of guilt jab her gut but only the slightest. Jane stood as she picked up her dishes and headed into the kitchen where she occupied herself with rinsing off her plate and placing it in the dishwasher. She knew that her silence and unwillingness to share drove her mother crazy. She was her only daughter and somehow Angela had wound up with three sons instead and Jane couldn't help but feel that she'd let her mother down somehow. Despite her mother's constant words of reassurance, Jane still had moments of incredible and painful doubt in which she felt like such a disappointment. Mothers look forward to their daughter's first dress, crush, boyfriend, prom, heartbreak, marriage. They look forward to gossiping about anything and everything. Instead, Angela Rizzoli had been saddled with Jane. Jane had to admit that her mother was a saint but she would never tell her to her face. For all the stress, grief, pain and tears that Jane has put her through over the years, Angela deserved a medal.

Jane dried her hands before turning to face her mother as she joined her in the kitchen,

"It's not easy for me to talk about this. I don't even understand what's going on in my head half the time. Trust me when I say that it was _just_ coffee."

But even as she said those words, she didn't even believe them. Was it just coffee? Was this a onetime thing? Was she coming down with the flu? That could explain why she felt so off. And with that she went over to her mother and gave her a quick hug just to make sure that she understood that she wasn't mad at her,

"Thanks again for the lasagna. It was delicious," she mumbled as she squeezed her, "I'm calling it a night. I have an early class in the morning."

She turned to head to her room which was essentially the entire basement. When Jane had told her parents that she had weighed her options and chose to go to BCU, they insisted that she stay at home and that they would give her as much privacy as if she had her own place. At the time, it seemed to be an excellent compromise until it became clear that as long as she lived in the Rizzoli home, privacy meant something entirely different to each Rizzoli. Despite it happening three years ago, Jane remembered that moment as if it had only just taken place. Her parents' faces had filled with such pride that their daughter had been accepted to BCU but within moments despite their greatest efforts, she saw a flicker in their eyes and she knew that they had just realized the real implications of Jane's decision to go to college. That look in their eyes was one of the reasons she so readily accepted their offer to stay at home. She couldn't put them through whatever would ensue from her moving away and having to be financially responsible for herself. They would have constantly been worrying about her.

Just as Jane reached the door leading to the basement, Angela cleared her throat and said,

"Janie, I know it's awkward but you know you can talk to me about anything."

Jane looked back to her mother and smiled,

"I know."

* * *

Maura was mid dolphin plank pose with her arms firmly pressed to the yoga mat under her when she brought her knees back down into the soft cushioned pad and exhaled. She should be clearing her mind and allowing herself to be consumed by the set of yoga poses she'd carefully picked out earlier that week but instead she was distracted and kept glancing over to her cell phone. She was unsure of the proper etiquette when individuals exchange numbers. How much time is required to pass? How much time needed to be pass before a phone call was deemed appropriate or too eager? She suddenly wished now more than ever that she wasn't such a social outcast and that these types of situations didn't fluster her so much. She could recite all 206 bones of the human body, in alphabetical order. She could probably reassemble a skeleton even though it wasn't her specialty. She could name all the elements of the periodic table. She could do all these tasks that some would squirm at and yet what made Maura the most nervous of all was being faced with an uncertain outcome.

She finally quieted all the doubtful thoughts in her mind and reached out for her phone. She sat up on the mat and crossed her legs before dialing the number. She bit her lower lip as the ringing continued. She breathed in sharply when the ringing stopped mid ring and she heard Jane's voice on the other end,

"Hello?"

"Jane, it's Maura. I hope it's not too late," she began and was soon appeased hearing Jane laugh on the other end,

"It's not too late. Don't worry."

Maura quickly fumbled with her phone, pressed speaker and placed the phone down next to her on the mat before stretching her legs out in front of her.

"I had a good time tonight. I don't have many opportunities to just talk over coffee with people," Maura explained and the reason was that most people couldn't handle being around her. Like minded Individuals could tolerate her but the types of conversations that were exchanged just weren't the same. As much as Maura enjoyed the intellectual discussions she'd partake in with her colleagues, she often felt as thought something was missing. For the longest time, she'd ignored that feeling and had buried it deep down. She had buried it so deep in fact that she'd nearly forgotten about it. That was until Jane. With Jane, it burrowed its way to the surface and she finally understood that what she had been craving was a level of normalcy. She could be wrong in believing that Jane had also enjoyed herself but she hoped she wasn't.

"People or friends?" came Jane's blunt reply.

"Both," Maura quickly answered without giving it much thought. She reached for her toes and held onto her feet, her face buried in her knees.

"What are you doing? Do you have me on speaker?"

"_Paschimottanasana_ and yes."

"Paschi… what?"

Maura laughed and realized that continuing her yoga at this time would be fruitless. She picked up her phone and took it off speaker,

"It's a yoga pose. You're off now,"

"Off what?"

"Speaker."

There was a brief silence before Jane spoke up,

"I had fun tonight too. Hey, I'm glad you called because I wanted to know what you were up to next Monday. Any plans?"

Maura padded over to her purse and pulled out her planner.

"Hmm, I'm tutoring someone at 10 but I'll be done by 1."

"Did you just look at your calendar?"

"Day planner."

"Uh huh, same thing. All right, pencil me in at one-thirty..."

"Anything in particular or should I just write Jane in big letters?" she teased, surprised at how easily it came.

"Yes and yes but I'm not telling."

Maura cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear to quickly jot down JANE in her planner for the following Monday at 1:30.

"You've been penciled in."

"What I've always wanted," Jane quipped, "Great, it's a date then."

Maura heard Jane curse herself but didn't make much of it.

"I will see you then. Goodnight, Jane."

"Goodnight, Maura."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ The idea for this overall story arc came to me a while I was rewatching season one and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ When Monday finally comes around, Maura is still left wondering what Jane has up her sleeve.

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_**A/N: **_I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have been reading and following along. Your comments are greatly appreciated and I am overwhelmed with how this piece of mine has been received so far. I hope you stick around and continue to enjoy yourselves. Thank you.

* * *

_Dress warmly. Layers preferably. Pants please. No heels. See you at 1:30._

Maura stared at the text message from Jane for a minute and still couldn't wrap her mind around it. Clearly, Jane was trying to be as elusive as possible and although this would usually agitate Maura, she felt rather calm about not knowing where the afternoon would take her. Taking Jane's short message to heart, she dressed comfortably for the tutoring session but put aside a few extra light layers on the edge of her bed that she'd changed into after the tutoring session.

The following hours seemed to stretch on forever. For the first time, Maura kept glancing at the time and anticipating the end of this session. Several times throughout it, her pupil had to repeat their question before she could answer them due to the fact that she'd been trying to come up with a list of possibilities for Jane's plans. Finally, the session was over and Maura scheduled the following one with the freshman. She promptly made her way back to her place. Earlier the previous weekend, she had realized that after their first phone call, they had never agreed on a meeting place and the day before, Maura had given Jane her address and instructed her to meet her there.

Arriving with fifteen minutes to spare, Maura walked up to her building with her head down as she fishing in her purse for her keys. After finding them, she looked up and spotted Jane with a rolled up bundle of sorts tucked under her arm waiting outside the main entrance to her building. She took a quick look around, surprised to see the other woman, before directing her gaze back to her,

"I'm not late, am I?"

Jane shook her head with a smile,

"No, I'm just early for once."

"It's good to be early. You avoid putting your body through all the stress of running around," Maura added with a small nod. She brushed pass Jane and brought the electronic key up to the sensor to unlock the main door. She proceeded to pull it open then glanced over her shoulder at Jane who hadn't moved yet,

"Aren't you going to come in?"

"Oh, I wasn't sure I was invited," Jane replied with mock hurt.

"Of course you are, Jane," Maura was quick to point out. She was oblivious to the underlying sarcasm to Jane's comment and Jane suddenly realized just how seriously Maura took everything.

"I was kidding. You need to lighten up a little," Jane walked up to Maura and locked eyes with her. She had to ignore the feeling that erupted in her abdomen as she peered into Maura's hazel eyes. She diverted her eyes and looked away before adding, "This is perfect though. What I have planned… oh, it's perfect."

She punctuated the syllables of the word and stepped into the lobby of the building.

"Care to share?" the other woman asked, the curiosity eating away at her. She followed Jane into the building then headed down the hall, flipping through her keys until she found the correct one.

"So, you live alone?" Jane asked as she lingered in the lobby, taking in every inch of the place. She looked down the hall and saw that Maura was already busy unlocking her door.

"Yes," Maura directed down the hallway to Jane before stepping into her loft. Within seconds, Jane had traveled the length of the hall and found herself staring into Maura's loft.

"Seriously?" she exclaimed as she stood with a look of disbelief plastered on her face. It wasn't a completely open spaced loft. There was a small entrance bordered off by the kitchen's wall and the closet. Once Jane managed to move from the entrance, closing the door behind her, she swept the main room slowly. To her right, was a small yet suitable living room connected to an open concept dining room and kitchen. Nothing extremely extravagant, or gigantic, it was all moderate in size. This was just not what Jane envisioned when she thought of college students and their humble abodes. The wall directly opposite to the entrance had huge windows that allowed for plenty of natural light and at the far end of the loft were two bedrooms.

"No, seriously? This is your place? You have a loft for crying out loud!"

Maura couldn't help but lightly laugh before ducking into her bedroom to alter her wardrobe a little and get Jane's approval since she still had absolutely no idea what their afternoon activities were.

"My parents try to compensate for the fact that they are rarely around with a cushy and comfortable home. I believe their exact words were 'If we can't be there, at least let us have comfort in knowing that you are in a good neighbourhood with a good home."

She stepped back out of her room and pointed to her clothes. She was wearing a pair of jeans, a light long sleeve sweater with a tank top underneath.

"Should I throw this cardigan on?"

Jane awkwardly shifted from one foot to the other as she waited near the small entrance, not daring to venture any further.

"Just to be on the safe side," she answered.

Maura pulled the cardigan on and buttoned up the first three buttons before nodding towards the bundle under Jane's arm,

"What's that?"

The tall brunette looked down to her arm and pulled the rolled up bundle out and shook it. She held it out to Maura and the other recognized that it was a leather jacket,

"Oh, I nearly forgot. This is for you. It was my first leather jacket and the first year I had it, ma put in an extra lining in it so it'll be extra warm. I think it'll fit you."

Maura gently picked up the jacket and scrutinized its worn and soft leather. Her fingers grazed the material as she looked up to Jane,

"Why do I need this?"

Jane waggled a finger at Maura and grinned,

"I'm still not saying. If you haven't figured it out yet then you will in a few minutes. C'mon, put it on and then we can head out."

Jane took the jacket and held it up as Maura slid her arms into the sleeves. It was a little big on her but she pulled it around herself and relished the worn feeling of it. She had never owned a piece of clothing that had this particular feel about it. There was something incredibly comforting about it that screamed that this article had been loved. It had been worn so many times that the elbows were far more broken in than any other part of the jacket. She opened up the jacket and inspected the lining and stitching along the edge of the zipper. She ran her fingers down the stitches and noted,

"Your mother did some excellent work lining this jacket, Jane."

"Yeah, she's pretty good with a needle and thread that one," Jane admitted with a small grin, "Ready?"

Maura zipped up the jacket and nodded. She was about to pick up her purse when Jane reached out and stopped her,

"No need for that. Just bring your keys… and a scarf if you have one nearby."

Maura looked up to her and frowned. She dropped her purse back onto the coffee table in the entrance before pulling a scarf out from the top shelf of her front closet,

"Are you really not going to tell me what you are up to?"

She busied herself with looping the scarf around her neck and pulling the end through the loop as Jane replied shortly,

"Yep."

Maura looked over to her and noticed the satisfied look on her face and couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her lips. She tucked the ends of the scarf into the front of the jacket and perked an eyebrow at Jane,

"Good?"

Jane nodded and grabbed Maura's arm gently, pulling her towards the door.

"Yes, don't worry. You look _super_ chic. You own that jacket," Jane said teasingly and Maura just narrowed her eyes at her as she passed by Jane to step into the hallway. The tall brunette quickly followed suit and waited for Maura to lock up before heading back out towards the main lobby. As she trailed Jane, Maura searched the jacket for a secure pocket for her keys and found one just on the inside. She stowed her keys away before zipping back up and stepping outside.

"This way," Jane reached out and grabbed Maura's elbow with one hand and placed her other hand at the small of her back, directing her towards the left of the street. Jane let go of Maura's arm just as they neared a parked motorcycle and immediately Maura launched,

"Oh, Jane… I don't know if I can. Do you know that in the state of Massachusetts alone there were 50 motorcycle crash victims in 2006, 62 in 2007…"

Jane quickly cut her off as she picked up a helmet and placed it in Maura's hands,

"There's a small percentage that I could die by choking on a piece of toast tomorrow morning. Am I going to stop eating toast?"

Maura, clearly flustered, fumbled with the helmet. She looked up at the sky, and Jane wondered for a moment if this happened to be not such a great idea.

"5,154 motorcyclists lost their lives in 2007…" the other woman whispered to herself more than anything. She breathed in deeply and tried to will the statistics to stop floating to the surface.

"C'mon, Maura. You only live once, take some risk," Jane smiled warmly before walking back over to stand in front of her. Her bike was an older Suzuki standard model that she'd eagerly saved up for well before she was even of age to get a motorcycling license but she took good care of it and it granted her a sense of freedom which was unmet by anything she'd experienced in life so far. Whenever she felt overwhelmed, she'd ride around aimlessly. Whenever she was on the road, it was just her and the bike and she liked knowing that this was one thing in her life that she could control and she was damned good at it too. She pulled out a pair of leather gloves and handed them to Maura,

"They'll keep your hands warm," she said trying to distract Maura before pulling out her own pair from her back pocket. She carefully pulled them on and raised a curious brow looking up to Maura,

"Talk to me."

Maura tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat before speaking just above a whisper,

"I'm just giving myself a mental pep talk. Talk me through it."

Jane propped her helmet on her hip and began explaining everything about the bike itself and what Maura needed to know as a passenger. She instructed her on the safety etiquette, how to mount the bike, how she needed to keep her feet on the pegs at all times, how she would need to hold onto her, how she shouldn't try to go against the curve when turning. Maura seemed to relax a little as Jane continued to explain.

"If you want me to pull over, just tap my shoulder, all right?"

"All right," Maura replied with a curt nod.

Jane mounted the bike, and pushed the kickstand up with her heel. She proceeded to start it up and braced it with both feet planted firmly on either side as she waited. Jane looked over to Maura to see if she could read her expression but couldn't. The woman's face wasn't betraying whatever internal dilemma she was still battling with. Jane pulled on her own helmet before asking,

"Do you trust me?"

"Strangely enough, I do," came Maura's quick reply and by the look on her face, Jane immediately knew that this surprised Maura even more than it surprised her.

"All right, hop on. Stay on the sidewalk, it'll give you an advantage and don't be afraid to use my shoulders as leverage."

Jane allowed the bike to rest mostly on her right leg as she angled it down a little to allow for an easier mount for Maura. Maura slid her helmet on and assured it was on correctly before doing exactly as Jane had instructed her to do and settled herself behind Jane on the saddle. Behind her, Jane felt Maura inch herself slightly closer and was extremely grateful for the privacy of her helmet at that very moment. She reached back and gave Maura's knee a reassuring squeeze,

"Hold on," Jane instructed and Maura obliged, reaching around Jane's waist and wrapping her arms around her.

The fact that she was actually sitting on a bike was absolutely absurd to Maura. She couldn't believe that she had willingly gotten onto it. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the moment they would start moving. The knot in her throat was still there and she was trying her hardest to stop thinking. However, with Maura, thinking was everything and to stop doing such a thing was inconceivable. She involuntarily tightened her arms around Jane's waist as they took off.

After a few minutes, Maura felt herself relax and her muscles thanked her. She loosened her hold on Jane which reassured the other woman. This wasn't her first time with a passenger and she was thankful for that because she remembered the process of getting accustomed to having to drive differently with a passenger. She wouldn't want to put Maura through that and would have never orchestrated this little outing if that were the case. No, she wanted and hoped that this would strengthen their bond and instill a speck of trust in Maura when it came to Jane. She wanted Maura to trust her. Jane had sensed from the first time they actually had a full conversation at the coffee shop that trusting was not something that came naturally to the other woman and she wanted to try to help her along with that.

When they came to a red stop light, Jane glanced over her shoulder after tapping Maura's knee and she gave Jane a thumbs up which comforted her. Jane had been nervous that this would be a catastrophe and had really hoped that Maura's doubts would be appeased and ultimately, she would grow confident that Jane was looking out for her. It was something to drive a motorcycle but it's an entire different scenario when someone takes on a passenger. When Jane rode about on her own, she was only responsible for her wellbeing but with Maura nestled closely against her back, she was also responsible for her wellbeing and safety. She didn't want to let her down or cause her any harm. The jacket, helmet and gloves were all small tokens of how she was looking out for Maura and a way of showing her that this was no joke. She hoped that didn't go unnoticed.

When the light turned green, she picked back up and Maura's arms tightened around her again but soon relaxed as they continued down the road. Jane had a specific route in mind, especially at this time of the year when all the trees were changing colour. She was heading up to Fresh Pond Parkway and was going to circle the pond and its greenery before heading to Daheny Park where they could stroll about and people watch. Every now and then, Jane would give Maura's knee or thigh a squeeze or pat as reassurance. For someone who had been so hesitant at the very idea of getting on a bike, Maura was doing excellent. After looping the pond twice, Jane headed up to the park and pulled into the parking lot. Here, at least she didn't need to be a resident of Cambridge to park.

After successfully disembarking the bike without any injuries, Jane pulled her helmet off and grinned at Maura,

"Not bad, right?"

The other woman pulled her helmet off as well before smiling up at Jane,

"That was quite extraordinary actually," she admitted.

Jane felt herself swell with pride because she may be confident in her abilities to drive her bike but it was always convincing others of it and to have them actually enjoy themselves instead of wondering whether the person they've just trusted with their lives by hopping on the back of their bike is a maniac on the road. And taking into consideration that they did not know each other that well yet, Maura's words were a boost to her ego. Not that Jane needed such a thing. She was overly cocky at times and often made rash decisions without properly thinking through the repercussions. However, if there was one thing that Jane valued more than her own safety, it had to be that of others.

Toting their helmets at their side, the two set off down the nearest path at a slow pace. It was nice to walk about with no particular destination and to just enjoy the scenery and each other's company. For the first ten minutes or so, both were quiet and lost within their own thoughts. Maura was still silently acknowledging that she had not become a statistic in terms of motorcycle accidents. As for Jane, she suddenly felt a chill with the realization that she missed Maura's arms wrapped around her and the warmth of her body snug against her back. She squelched that thought and broke the silence,

"So…" she stretched out the 'o' before continuing, "you mentioned earlier that your parents are away a lot. What keeps them away?"

Maura's attention had been elsewhere, somewhere to her right, when Jane posed the question and she slowly turned her gaze back to her left and settled on Jane. It was one thing for Maura to listen, listening was easy and she often remembered little details that many would forget. Talking on the other hand, especially about herself, was completely different. She was uncouth enough as it was with her social inaptitude, her random facts and intimidating intelligence that Maura often avoided divulging any personal information. She feared that if she were to do such a thing, the receiver of such information would view her as vapid. Maura scrutinized Jane's features, searching for a sign that she wouldn't run if she opened up. She decided to risk it, what harm could come of it really? She'd already ridden a motorcycle today, opening up should be the least of her worries at this point.

"To start with, I was adopted. I don't know who my biological parents are and I try not to give it much thought. One can get overwhelmed with all the questions and insecurities that can arise from dwelling too long on such a thing," she paused, gathering her thoughts and taking a moment to decide what to say next, "My parents traveled a lot, and still do and because of that, I went to boarding school as a child and I would only see them on special occasions. Sometimes I wouldn't but I never held it against them."

She tore her eyes away from Jane and studied the foliage around them as they continue to walk. Every once in a while, other park goers would pass by them, jogging, running, speed walking. Maura was sure that they weren't allowing the lovely hues of oranges, yellows and reds or the crisp smell of autumn to titillate their senses.

"And here I am always complaining about my parents," Jane puffed out. She kicked a rock up the path they were on, averting her gaze and casting it downwards.

"Don't get me wrong. I love my parents. My childhood could have been must worse. I had a great education, I had the opportunity to travel, I made lifelong acquaintances, and never wanted for anything," Maura pressed on. The truth was that she didn't know any different. This was how it had always been and she considered herself blessed for the life she was given because it could have been quite the opposite.

"Except for some basic human contact," Jane mumbled under her breath and instantly regretted it. Her eyes grew wide and she found herself immediately apologizing, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I just…" she groaned and inhaled sharply before breathing out heavily, "I don't think before talking. Ma says it's one of my most annoying traits."

Maura looked over to Jane, remaining silent and weighing her words. She shifted the helmet to her right hand and allowed it to hang at her side. With her now free hand, she reached out and touched Jane's arm lightly,

"Don't berate yourself, Jane. I find it rather endearing."

"Seriously? It has gotten me in a lot of shit in the past," she laughed, feeling better about herself.

Maura nodded before explaining,

"I understand what you mean though. I see how other individuals' familial interactions differ vastly in comparison to mine and sometimes I am stricken with jealousy. For brief moments, I yearn to know what it is like to have a mother who worries if I arrive home late, or what it would have been like to have an overbearing father who questioned every boy I brought home. I never had that and most days I'm at peace with that… but when someone or some kind of interaction reminds me of what I missed out on then I become painfully aware of everything."

Jane was amazed at Maura's candidness and unsure of how to even begin formulating a decent reply. She wasn't one to tread lightly, ever. She usually always said what she thought and quite honestly didn't care about the repercussions. With Maura, however, she felt this unprecedented need to protect her. She'd only ever felt this protective of her family members and she couldn't quite make sense of it.

"Heck, my mother will probably start worrying about you if she ever finds out what I put you up to today," she joked. When in doubt, Jane always found herself turning to humour. She enjoyed seeing people smile and knowing that she was the source of that smile was worth risking making a fool out of herself or saying something stupid. And Maura's laugh was like music to Jane's ears and the smile that spread across her lips was unstoppable.

"Your mother is quite the character but I could tell within seconds at the softball game that she thinks the world of you," Maura confessed.

"Oh, I know. She just can be overbearing sometimes but I never forget that she's one of the few people who puts up with all of my crap."

They locked eyes and once again, Jane felt that familiar tug in her gut as she stared into those hazel eyes. She mentally swore and recognized that she could easily find herself lost in those eyes. She had to be careful. She was crossing into dangerous territory. But once again, she snuffed the thoughts and feeling out. An easy silence settled between them as they continued to walk down the path. Neither certain of exactly how long they'd been walking and how far they'd gone into the park. Eventually, they turned around and began to trek back towards the parking lot. The second go about on the motorcycle was a lot less stressful than the first round. Maura found herself paying more attention to the houses and streets they rode by rather than reciting facts in her mind to calm herself down. Facts she could rely on. They were facts. They were proven to be true. They were something that always brought her comfort. On the way back, however, not one single fact floated about in her mind and instead, she concentrated and relished the warmth that was Jane as she kept her arms wrapped around her. She was grateful for the other woman's forethought in generously lending her the jacket and gloves. Since the sun had begun to set, the air had a particular nip to it and as they whizzed down the street, the garments offered a shield against it. As before, Jane would occasionally take the opportunity at a stop or a street light to softly squeeze Maura's knee. At first, Maura had found it an odd thing to do but soon came to realize that this was Jane's way of communicating while on the road. It was her way of assuring Maura that she was still driving for the both of them and Maura also took it as a small token of Jane's approval of her being a good passenger.

The only thing that occupied Jane's thoughts on the ride back to Maura's place was that this had been indeed a perfect idea , one of the best she had ever thought up as a matter of fact, and that once again, Maura's arms were wrapped around her. Okay, maybe two things occupying her thoughts.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ The idea for this overall story arc came to me a while I was rewatching season one and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ A small little look into the dynamics between Frank and his daughter.

* * *

_**A/N:**_Once again, I am honestly floored by the reviews, story alerts, author favourites – it's all just very overwhelming and incredibly appreciated. If any of you have anything in particular that you have been dying to see in a Rizzles fic, don't be shy to make suggestions. Sometimes, reader prompts can inspire wonderful pieces and I appreciate all feedback and suggestions of all sorts. I hope you enjoy this little chapter.

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Before Maura, before everything in her life got so complicated, Jane had never been a fan of the commute between Cambridge and home. However, since Maura, Jane had begun to appreciate the commute for the time it granted her to self-reflect. For the time that she was on the road, it was just her, her thoughts and the road. No other voices putting in their input and no gestures, no looks, nothing to throw her off what was being voiced. She knew so many people who absolutely despised driving, especially during the winter season in Boston, but for Jane, driving was almost like therapy. She was actually happily anticipating the first snow fall. There was something serene about the city being blanketed in snow. It did not unnerve her whenever the weather turned sour. It could be raining, hailing, or snowing, and she was not put off by what Mother Nature threw at her. She pulled into the parking lot in front of her house, stepped off her bike and slowly pushed it into the garage. She slowly made her way to the side door leading into the house and reached for the doorknob. Her fingers lingered on the cool metal for a moment as she composed her thoughts. She breathed in deeply and stood in the darkness for a minute before looking down to her watch. Finally, she grasped the doorknob, turned and pushed the door open as silently as possible. Just as she gently pushed the door closed behind her, she jumped hearing her name,

"Janie…"

She turned around wildly with her hands flying to her chest in surprise and spotted her father sitting in the living room with the television's volume barely turned up.

"Pop! Don't do that," she hissed. "You just about scared me to death."

She pulled off her boots and placed them in the front lobby before joining him on the couch. He leaned back into the couch, muting the television all together, and kept his eyes on the glowing screen as he spoke,

"Getting in those last rides before the snow falls?"

Jane glanced over to him as she leaned forward, her forearms resting on her thighs and nodded silently. The television was casting an eerie glow on his face and he looked beyond his years from a profile view. She pressed her hands together before pulling them apart and keeping her finger tips touching. She cast her eyes down and inspected the carpet between her feet. She couldn't see much but she pretended to be focused on something on the floor. She was uncertain on how to go about this or if she should even bother explaining. What was that saying, don't count your chickens before the eggs hatch? Jane didn't want to be presumptuous when it came to the friendship which was forming between her and Maura.

Nothing, however, could have prepared her for what escaped her father's lips. It came out of left field and Jane had to take a moment to soak it in. His words jarred her and she fumbled to understand where he was coming from.

"I worry about you, Jane. You've always been so quiet and independent," he paused for a moment as he tore his eyes off of the television and briefly looked to Jane from the corner of his eyes. Her could make out her silhouette by the glow of the television but her features were indiscernible as she adamantly stared at nothing on the floor.

"You're my only daughter and no matter your age, I'll always picture that little baby girl that I held so many years ago. There's this unexplainable need to protect you even though I know you can take care of yourself… heck, I never had a doubt that you could fend for yourself, Janie."

Jane smiled at his words and finally gave him her full attention. The nonexistent thing on the floor could wait. Throughout her childhood and teenager years, Jane had always felt this incredible bond with her father and she cherished the heart to heart talks they'd shared over the years. They weren't many but Jane remembered all of them. Frank reached over and gently patted her arm,

"You're so tough but nobody is _that_ tough. Everyone needs a little help now and then… Just know that your mother and I are always here to for you. You can't deal with everything on your own even if you've always tried to."

She slowly slid her hand over her father's and squeezed it gently,

"Thanks, pop."

His eyes twinkled in the darkness and Jane wondered whether they were simply reflecting the television's light or whether her father was actually tearing up. She was uncertain what had brought on his words but she took them him and delighted in the warmth they enveloped her in. He breathed in deeply as if bracing himself for something. What exactly, Jane was unsure of.

"It's just that… that the last time you were this quiet and absent was with…" and Jane cut him off immediately,

"I know, I know."

Her words came across harsher than she had expected and she frowned as they echoed back in her head. For a brief moment, she saw the hurt in her father's eyes and it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. She breathed in deeply and sighed as she pushed back into the couch. She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling. She chewed her bottom lip before speaking, her voice lower than usual,

"It's nothing bad, pop. That much I am sure of. I mean it has the potential of being bad but it also has the potential of being amazing. I'm just... I'm just trying to make sense of everything right now. I don't want to mess anything up."

"Leave it to a girl to mess around with a Rizzoli's heart and mind," he sighed as he pulled himself up from the couch using Jane's knee as leverage. Once again, Frank knew exactly what to say and Jane was left sitting in the dark trying to wrap her mind around _how _he always knew what to say. Growing up, Jane had held onto the firm belief that her father had to be psychic or telepathic. There was no other explanation. Alone in the living, she laughed at the memory of how she'd think the opposite of what she was feeling just in case her father was listening in on her thoughts. She had told Frankie and Tommy about it and they had just snickered at her. For a few months, they had used it to poke fun at her every now and then when she was down or did something wrong.

As she watched him melt into the darkness, she was reminded of this and grinned. She rapidly jumped up from the couch and followed him. She poked her head into the hallway and saw nothing.

"Pop?"

"Kitchen," came the reply.

Jane headed into the kitchen and fixed him with a stern look,

"You always do that."

Frank stood in the glow of the refrigerator and looked over to Jane and raised an eyebrow,

"Do what?"

Jane pointed a finger at him and pressed on with a light tone,

"You know exactly what _what_ is!"

Frank stepped back from the refrigerator, closing the door and coming up empty handed. He turned to face his daughter and gave a wry smile before admitting,

"Your mother hates it when I do it too."

"Ha, I knew it," scoffed Jane as she slowly crossed her arms over her chest.

Neither spoke for quite some time but the silence was not an uncomfortable one. Jane had learned to appreciate the quiet moments in this household. Her father's silence was never the same as her mother's though. While Angela often used silence as a tactic to convey her disapproval with something or someone, Frank's silence was usually one of contemplation. He was a rather reserved man to begin with and so his silence was ever out of the ordinary.

"How'd you know ma was the one?" asked Jane, her voice cracking.

Frank gave out a low chuckle as he closed the gap between him and his daughter. His big hands rested lightly on Jane's shoulder.

"She wouldn't have it any other way," he joked and Jane rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, pop. How'd you know that she was worth risking your friendship?"

Frank gave it some thought and as he did, he hummed,

"I guess because we never really started out as friends? I just saw this vibrant woman and asked her out on a date…"

"And she said no."

"At first but I won her over eventually. She was a tough cookie your mother."

Jane exhaled loudly and even though the hands on her shoulders had been there for a few minutes now, she suddenly became painfully aware of them and it was as if they were getting heavier by the second. She had thought that this conversation, if it were to happen, would help her make some sense out of everything but she was left just as perplexed as before.

Frank gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before leaning in and planting a kiss on her forehead,

"The longer you wait, the messier it'll get."

With that said, Jane was left alone in the kitchen as he disappeared into his bedroom. She closed her eyes and rubbed her face roughly. She knew all too well how messy it could get and she was already painfully aware of that fine line she was currently tiptoeing – the line which stood between friendship and more than friends. To Jane that damned line represented more than she was willing to deal with at the moment.

"It's too early… too early to tell," she whispered to herself, "I'll just wait and see."

Sooner or later though, she knew that she would have to jump, that she would have to take that leap and risk it. The issue Jane was always faced with recognizing the opportune moment to jump when it presented itself and whether it was worth it all together. When does the potential for something more outweigh the possible downfalls? Jane had never been quite adept at toeing the line and weighing the possibilities. She still couldn't rationalize risking a friendship for the prospective of something more. How does anyone ever come to grips with risking losing someone who means so much to them if in the end you are faced with the complete removal of that individual from your life? Jane had always thought that burying her feelings was far more effective than not having that person in her life even if it meant putting on a front, and being untrue to herself.

It was definitely still too early to tell and she would be grasping at straws if she were to even attempt to rationalize jumping now even though for once, she felt rather confident that if she were to jump, it would not all be for naught this time.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ The idea for this overall story arc came to me a while I was rewatching season one and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ Maura surprises Jane in one of her classes but half way through Jane is struck with an idea and convinces Maura to leave during the break.

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_**A/N:** _Thanking all of you again for the wonderful reviews. I very much appreciate them and I hope you are enjoying yourselves.

* * *

The weeks following the bike ride were filled with unplanned outings, mostly spurred on by Jane's relentlessness and Maura's recent deep seeded need to please and to be liked. It was very unlike her to be so preoccupied with pleasing another person or whether that person liked her or not but for some reason unknown to her, she found it increasingly difficult to say no to Jane. Today, however, Maura resolved to surprise her. She had nothing pressing that needed to be dealt with immediately and decided to sit in on one of Jane's classes with her. She knew that Jane had 'Forensic Psychology' from noon to three and rather than wait around until the class was done to meet up with her, and compelled by her sense of curiosity, she thought this was the perfect compromise. She stepped into the classroom and wondered whether Jane was the type to arrive a minute before the lecture started or if she arrived with some time to spare. Despite having seen more of Jane throughout the last few weeks, she still felt as though she required more information to get a firmer grasp on who exactly Jane Rizzoli was. With two cups of coffee in Styrofoam cups, Maura leaned forward onto the tip of her toes as she scanned the rows and spotted the unmistakable unruly and tousled black curls that belonged to an equally feisty personality. Maura was not surprised that Jane was _that_ student who did not sit in the back row but still more towards the back of the room. She slipped into the seat next to Jane and greeted her as she slid one of the coffee cups in front of her friend. Jane slowly turned to look where the coffee and voice had come from,

"Maur?"

The raspy way in which Jane said her name caused her stomach to involuntarily flip. It wasn't simply the huskiness to her voice but the nickname itself. This happened every time Jane dropped the vowel at the end of her name, something she'd recently started doing. It was just a ridiculous vowel and Maura couldn't wrap her mind around why it caused her to react in such a way. She rationalized it with the fact that she'd never had a proper nickname.

"Yes, Jane?" came Maura's immediate reply and she smiled at the familiarity that washed over her. She'd gotten into the habit of answering this way whenever Jane said her name and it was always with the same cool and calm tone. She wiggled out of her coat and it fell onto the back of her seat.

"You aren't in… wait, are you some kind of special guest lecturer or something?" Jane asked, confusion dripping off of every word. Maura shook her head and said reassuringly,

"No, no, nothing of the sort. Surprisingly nothing needed my immediate attention and so I decided to join you. I hope you don't mind."

Jane laughed as she opened the top of the coffee Maura had placed in front of her and peeked into it as she said,

"Essentially, you've done all the work up until the winter break and were sitting around in your living room all by your lonesome self and decided to use the ruse of keeping me company during my class to fill that brain of yours with more information."

Maura opened her mouth to reply but found herself with no adequate rebuttals. It was partly true. She did enjoy auditing classes every now and then. She was, however, definitely not going to admit simply wanting to spend some time with Jane. Jane recapped her coffee and happily sipped it,

"Hmm… how quickly you learn, young padawan."

"Excuse me?"

Jane looked over to the honey blonde next to her and narrowed her eyes. Maura simply perked a slender brow back.

"Really? Little green dude about two feet high, speaks in riddles…"

The blank look on Maura's face told Jane that Yoda was not a character she was familiar with.

"Luke, I _am _your father?"

Blank.

"Seriously? Remind me to introduce you to the out of this world _Star Wars_ series sometime in the future," Jane concluded with a playful smirk.

Maura continued to give Jane a weary look as the professor began his lecture. Jane, however, did not look in the other's direction. Instead, she studiously busied herself with opening her notebook and scribbling down the date in a mess of scratchy lines Maura could hardly decipher. As Jane began to take notes, Maura pulled her attention away from the notebook and focused it on the professor giving the lecture, contently sipping her coffee. Sitting in a class and enjoying the lecture for what it is without having to bother with taking accurate notes was something Maura enjoyed, perhaps, a little too much. Throughout her college years, she'd sat in quite a few classes outside of her concentration.

Within half an hour, Jane had filled in the borders of her notebook with doodles of all kinds and her notes had become scarce. Maura frowned at seeing this but didn't bother to say anything as Jane concentrated on getting the horns and devilish tail just right on the stick figure that she'd just completed.

At the half way mark of the three hour lecture, the professor announced that they would break and resume in fifteen minutes. Jane abruptly shut her notebook and leaned back in her chair, her hands reaching up above her head in a long stretch.

"Finally!" she let out, looking over to Maura, "and you sit in on classes for fun? I don't know how you do it."

Maura casually rolled her shoulders in a shrug before standing up. She grabbed Jane's empty coffee cup and disappeared for a minute as she exited the class to throw their cups in the trash. When she returned, she remained standing next to Jane.

"Interesting drawings," she remarked lightheartedly, leaning in close to Jane and tapping the cover of her notebook with her index.

"Those are..." Jane began as she tilted her head back to look up to Maura and fumbled for an excuse, "Um… Yeah…" she sunk into her seat, defeated. She allowed herself to gaze up at Maura for a moment before willing herself to look away. She could admit to herself that she had been gazing but if anyone were to accuse her of it, she'd vehemently deny it. The way that Maura was leaning forward pushed her soft curls off of her shoulders to where they hung loosely in the air, framing her face and when she'd look down at Jane, those pools of hazel caused the brunette to melt.

She mentally reminded herself to breathe and did just that. She focused on the cover of her notebook and breathed in deeply.

"Is everything all right, Jane?" Maura asked softly, reaching out and placing a comforting hand on Jane's back.

On contact, Jane's shoulder muscles contracted but within seconds, they relaxed, easing under Maura's light touch. Jane quickly nodded,

"Mmhmm…"

They remained silent for a few minutes as Maura rubbed slow fluid circles between Jane's shoulder blades and Jane selfishly savoured every second and every completed circle. It was then that a brilliant idea hit her as she remembered something she'd heard earlier in the morning while getting ready. Hopefully, it wasn't too late.

She straightened up, leaning back into Maura's touch before clearing her throat and stating,

"Put on your coat."

She stood up and quickly slid her arms into her jacket, stuffing her notebook into the front of it before zipping up. Bewildered, Maura looked at her friend with a questioning look,

"Jane, the lecture isn't over. We can't just leave."

The taller woman rolled her eyes in exasperation and pushed Maura to head into the aisle.

"C'mon, you can do it," she encouraged as Maura fought her.

"But, Jane, you can't just walk out of a class," Maura continued.

"It's not even _your_class, Maur," Jane hissed, pulling Maura's coat off the seat as they headed into the aisle and up the stairs.

Jane pressed on with a firm hand to Maura's back until they burst out of the classroom and in the hallway. Maura whipped around and looked at Jane who impishly grinned while handing Maura her coat. The blonde reached out for her coat as she asked,

"Where are we going?"

"Outside."

Jane began walking towards the exit of the building leaving Maura standing at the door of the classroom looking rather perplexed. She quickly threw on her coat and buttoned it up as she chased after Jane.

"But… what for?"

Jane turned on her heels and continued to walk backwards, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Oh, you'll see," she replied in a sing-song voice. As they reached the exit, she pressed up against the door with her back and pushed it open, allowing Maura to side step her and exit the building.

It was early November yet Boston and its surrounding areas hadn't been graced with the slightest bit of white fluff. The air was crisp and the sky above was a light grey. It was one of those days that if Jane had nowhere to go, she'd stay inside and stare out her window to just wait for it. She could feel it in her bones. It was going to snow. She inhaled deeply and a sense of calm washed over her. She'd never been able to shake that childlike giddiness she felt whenever she knew snow was in the forecast. The sight and smell of it immediately catapulted her back to her childhood, a time where she hadn't the slightest care in the world and would spend hours outside until her nose was red from the cold.

"Can you smell it?" she asked with her eyes closed, arms stretched out wide and her head tilted back to the sky. Maura looked around as a few people gave them odd looks.

"Smell what, Jane?"

Jane opened one eye to peek at Maura,

"The snow obviously."

"Are you sure you are all right? I don't see any snow."

Jane's arms flopped down to her side and she walked over to Maura with heavy feet. She held up a finger pointing to the sky and whispered,

"But it's coming. Can't you smell it in the air? It smells like snow!"

Maura indulged Jane and inhaled deeply through her nose and waited a minute before speaking.

"What you smell is most probably the chemicals often found in snow…" she trailed off just as she was about to say 'nitrogen dioxide' but quickly stopped herself with the look Jane shot her.

"No, don't you ruin this for me," the now rosy cheeked Jane threatened with a pointing finger. However, Maura was able to detect the faint air of playfulness in Jane's tone and in return all Maura offered was a slight tilt of her head and a smirk. She pulled on a pair of gloves as she observed Jane resume her position. She wrapped her arms around herself and continued to watch as Jane patiently waited, arms extended and face to the sky.

Just as Maura was about to suggest heading back in, she spotted a speck of white making its way leisurely down through the air and vanish instantaneously as it made contact with the cement. She looked in amazement at Jane who was now looking at her with one of the biggest grins she had seen yet.

"Told ya," she proudly asserted.

"You must have an incredible sense of smell!" Maura admitted humbly.

Jane twirled on the spot as the snowflakes began to fall in abundance. The white particles were still not sticking to the ground, even in numbers. They stayed briefly on the girls' coats and caught in their eyelashes. _Light and fluffy_, thought Jane, _the perfect first snow_. She continued to pivot for a few more turns before stopping. She swayed a little to the right as her head continued to spin. She extended her hand out to Maura and smiled brightly,

"Walk with me?"

The other woman reached out and linked arms with Jane as she replied,

"I can't see why not."

Both immediately warmed with the close presence of the other at their side as they walked down one of the paths on campus. With no destination in mind, they admired the light snowfall. It slowly began to accumulate at their feet and Jane would purposely walk in fresh patches of powder leaving an impeccable booth print in their wake. Jane's merriment was intoxicating and Maura soon found herself doing the same. As a child, Maura hadn't had many opportunities to go about in the snow and be careless. She had the vivid memory of sitting at the grand piano which stood next to a bay window in the music room and watching as the snow fell outside. Even if she had had the opportunities, playing about in the snow all by herself wasn't something that had appealed to young Maura. Yet here she was, in her early adulthood acting like the child she never had the opportunity to be. In those moments, she forgot about what others may think as they crossed the two of them kicking about in the bit of snow on the ground. Jane had even convinced Maura to do a few twirls, arms extended and all. Maura had nearly lost her balance and both had burst into fits of laughter at how clumsily she had reached out and braced herself onto Jane.

As she breathed in deeply, catching her breath after a particular long fit of laughs, Jane simply stated,

"Better than class, right?"

Maura nodded vigorously, her hands gently gripping Jane's biceps through her coat. Maura beamed as she looked up to Jane,

"Definitely."

And, she believed it. Maura who valued knowledge over everything she'd ever experienced in life found herself going against everything at her core. In this very moment, she'd be willing to trade in a million classes for the feeling that she was reveling in and it was all thanks to the girl standing two feet away from her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ The idea for this overall story arc came to me a while I was rewatching season one and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ A deserting mother, and a bottle of Merlot later, Maura finds herself in Jane's arms.

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_**A/N:** _First and foremost, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to a friend of mine, Mira. She was one of the first individuals to know that I was going to attempt a R&I fic and she's been of great support since. I remember asking her if she could see the girls in any situation, what would it be? I won't say much more except that even though it's not canon, I hope it lives up to what you had floating about in your head.

For all those who have been enjoying this story so far, thank you so much for all your kind words. They really do help to spur me on and they instill me with creativity. I hope you stick around! Thank you so much.

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_Could you please come over? –M_

Jane eyed the text message one last time before buzzing in to Maura's number, stabbing each number with her index. She shuffled about on the spot, trying to keep warm as she waited, watching her breath materialize in puffs of white in front of her eyes.

"Jane?" Maura's voice cut through the incessant tone of the intercom's ringing.

"Yeah," she gritted through clenched teeth as she willed her body to stop shivering. It was late and the darkness around her had a certain chilling bite to it.

The evening had far progressed when she'd received the text message yet she couldn't bring herself to ignore it. There was just something about it that triggered this urgency in her. She had immediately been gripped with the uneasy feeling that something was not right. She shoved her phone back into her front pocket just as she spotted Maura rushing up to open the door. Distracted by her own thoughts, Jane had not even wondered what had taken her so long to buzz her in. Her eyes shot down at the realization that Maura was barefoot.

"Jane!"

Jane nearly lost her balance as Maura flung her arms around her shoulders, leaning forward with her feet planted squarely inside of the open door.

"You came!" she beamed as Jane gently pushed her back inside and followed behind her. The door swiftly closed behind them and with it came a gust of cold winter air. The crisp frigid air didn't seem to faze Maura as she continued to goofily grin at Jane. Now that they were inside, Jane noticed that not only was Maura barefooted, she was wearing a pair of sweatpants, the very pair she'd told Jane about the first time they ran into each other, and a t-shirt. Her eyes shimmered, looking almost glossy, and her cheeks were flushed with red. Something was definitely wrong.

"Of course, Maur. Is everything okay? I thought you were supposed to have dinner with your mom tonight?" Jane questioned, still rather perplexed at what she was witnessing. Maura nodded for a second before her nods morphed into a shake of her head as her lips drooped down into a pout. She took a few steps back nearly tripping but saved herself by reaching out and bracing herself on the wall. She erupted into a fit of giggles before looking up to Jane, her face turning serious as the giggles subsided,

"I like it when you call me Maur," she began. A look over utter contentment spread across her features as the corners of her lips tugged upwards. She then continued, "Just the way you always say it, Maauuurrr."

Jane just about lost it as Maura practically purred the nickname. However, the recognition that Maura was inebriated dawned on her and took precedent over any warm feelings that flowered inside of her. Jane scoped out the lobby and hallway before closing the gap between her and Maura. She smoothly slinked her arm around the smaller woman's waist and rapidly ushered her into her loft.

"Why, Maura Isles, I never thought I'd see the day," Jane taunted once they were surrounded by the privacy of Maura's loft and a closed door. Maura weaseled her way out of Jane's grasp, spinning on the ball of her foot to look back at her.

"What day is that, Jane?" she tried to hide her hiccup but Jane noticed her shoulders slightly rise as it assaulted her body.

"Where do I even begin?" Jane smirked as she shed her coat and hung it in the entrance closet. Maura turned her palms up to the ceiling and offered a small shrug as Jane kicked off her boots before returning her attention back to Maura who had quickly become enthralled by her toes. The blonde stood in the middle of her living room, hands on hips, her head bent down with messy curls hanging loosely, wiggling her toes for her own amusement.

Jane shook her head and turned left into the kitchen instead of joining Maura. Sweeping the kitchen, she spotted a bottle of wine on the counter next to a wine glass with dregs circling the bottom. On closer inspection, it was a bottle of Merlot, a nearly empty bottle of Merlot. She frowned as she placed the bottle back on the counter and leaned back to check on Maura only to find that she was sitting on the couch quietly sobbing.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Jane exclaimed as she rushed over to Maura, falling to her knees in front of her as sobs wracked the blonde's small frame. She attempted to choke back her tears and sniffled. Jane instinctively reached up and cupped the other's face and used her thumbs to wipe away her tear streaked cheeks.

'Mental note, red wine makes you weepy," Jane joked even though she knew it was no time for it, it was how she dealt with emotionally awkward situations.

Pools of watery hazel shot up and in that instance, Jane swore that Maura could see inside her very being. She held her breath as she held those eyes with hers, noticing how the specks of green were ever more prominent. It was only when Maura offered a weak smile that Jane exhaled and dropped her hands to rest on Maura's knees.

"Do you know what today is?" Maura's broken voice shook Jane.

"The day before Thanksgiving?" Jane retorted, a little too sarcastically perhaps.

Maura gave a small breathless laugh as she pushed herself further into the couch.

"Well, yes… but it's also my birthday," she shut her eyes tightly and fought another wave of tears. This was so unlike her to be so incredibly upset. It was extremely out of character for her to drink in excess, let alone desperately reach out to another individual. She felt Jane hit her thigh playfully and stand up before sensing her weight sink in next to her. Maura cautiously opened one eye to look over to Jane. She couldn't read her expression and she had the sudden urge to reach out and twirl a curl of Jane's hair which was up in a messy ponytail. She resisted that urge by closing her eye and breathing in deeply.

"And, my mother stood me up. She didn't even call to cancel. She usually at least has the decency to call," she began. Breathing in deeply, she continued, "and I haven't seen her or my father in so long. I was looking forward to it."

Jane struggled to find the appropriate words to say. The last person she expected to ever see fall apart was Maura. Maura who was always so strong, so impeccably presented and stoic. Maura who Jane had spent the last few months chiseling away at that brick wall she'd built around herself. Brick by brick, Jane continued to tenuously work her way into the inner sanctum, Maura's trust. Seeing Maura unfold like the petals of a flower in bloom struck Jane. She was seeing a side of Maura she was sure not many ever had the opportunity to see and for that, she felt blessed. Despite this, she still struggled with which words to choose and chewed on the inside of her cheek. This was why she avoided solid friendships because one is always bound to run into awkward situations like this one. She could opt for her usual humour but for once, Jane felt like it wouldn't do.

"C'mere," was all she said as she opened her arms up to Maura. If words wouldn't do then actions would have to suffice. The blonde looked over to Jane, taken aback at her actions and slightly unsettled. She finally acquiesced, slowly crawling into the warmth of Jane's side like a child curling up into the warmth of their mother's arms. They stiffly sat for a few minutes in silence, both adjusting to this new found closeness. Eventually, Maura gave up and allowed herself to be enveloped by Jane's warmth. She concentrated on the rise and fall of the other's chest as she breathed in and out. She listened closely with her ear pressed to Jane's chest to the pitter patter of her heart. The rhythmic sound soothed her, lulling her into a sense of calm. She could smell the lingering scent of Jane's shampoo as she curled up as closely as possible to her, craving the human contact. Something she had so desperately sought for as a child but was repeatedly denied.

Jane wrapped her arms around Maura and held her closely. Being affectionate wasn't a trait that had ever come naturally to her. She grew up with two brothers and the way she learnt how to show her love for them was to rough house it, mock them, or beat them at whatever game they challenged her to. Hugs, kisses, and cuddles were something that Angela had always attempted to shower Jane with but the young tomboy would always push them away. It was only when Jane would take ill that she'd allow her mother to cajole her. Jane hesitantly lifted her hand from Maura's shoulder to gently stroke her disheveled curls which Jane knew had been perfect earlier that evening. Despite having unraveled, the curls were softer than Jane had imagined and she allowed herself to curl errant strands around her fingertips.

"Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?" she asked just above a whisper, her voice cracking. Maura closed her eyes and allowed the vibration of Jane's deep tone to wash over her. She lightly hummed as a tingly feeling erupted at the nape of her neck and traveled down her spine, traversing the length of her skin as Jane played with her hair.

"It's just another day…" she murmured in reply and hoped that the fingers entangling themselves in her hair would not stop anytime soon.

"Clearly it's not just another day, Maur… you nearly polished off a bottle of wine. You are barefoot, disheveled, and wearing sweats."

"I don't even like Merlot," she admitted almost childishly. "It's my mother's favourite."

She sighed heavily, burying her face in the crook of Jane's arm, pushing back another onslaught of tears that threatened to stream down her face.

"She was supposed to be here and she… she didn't even bother to call, Jane…"

Jane was once again struck with guilt as she became painfully aware of all those moments she'd just wish for her mother to leave her alone. As she took a mental step back and weighed the possibilities, overbearing mother or completely absent mother. There was a drastic stark contrast and she mentally told herself once again to appreciate her mother more often. She dropped her hand to Maura's back and rubbed circles, hoping this overly out of character show of affection brought Maura a little comfort. To Jane's surprise, she found that this whole consoling business came rather naturally with Maura. She'd always fumbled for the appropriate words and shied away from any kind of bodily contact such as hugging when it came to others. She'd always settle for an awkward pat on the shoulder coupled with some completely inappropriate words.

"It's her loss, Maur…" came Jane's late but sincere reply. A tiny smile crept on her lips as she felt Maura release a sigh against her. She continued to lazily rub circles on the small of Maura's back and felt herself beginning to relax, even to relish the intimate embrace they shared. Maura hesitantly draped her arm across Jane's stomach, resting her hand in the curve of her waist, just above her hip. She curled her fingers up in a fist, grabbing some of Jane's t-shirt in the process.

"Thank you for coming, Jane." Maura weakly spoke her gratitude, the wine buzz slowly seeping out of her system. She still felt emotionally raw, vulnerable and so incredibly exposed. She couldn't believe that Jane had witnessed her unfold in such a way.

As a reply, Jane reassuringly squeezed Maura gently against her in a one armed hug.

"I'm sorry you had to witness me fall apart… it won't happen again," Maura tilted her head to the side, her head now resting on Jane's shoulder. Her eyes studied Jane's profile, traveling the length of her jaw line, following the shape of her chin. She noticed when Jane clenched her jaw before relaxing and speculated on whether this was a physical tick or something Jane did consciously.

Jane shifted so that she could easily look down into Maura's eyes as she spoke, wanting to ensure that Maura could see the sentiment in her face,

"Don't ever apologize for that. It's nice to know that you have flaws and are human after all," she finished up with a little humour and a warm smile. Maura squeezed Jane's side causing her to squirm out of their cozy embrace. She playfully swatted at the smaller hand, narrowing her eyes at the blonde.

"Do not touch!" she cautiously warned with her hand hovering over Maura's, ready to swat again if she attempted to grab again.

"Okay, okay, I won't. I promise just… come back, you're so warm and comfy," Maura admitted with no shame, making grabby hands at Jane. She was too tired, both physically and emotionally, to preoccupy herself with presentation and submitted to her desires. Maura settled back into the crook of Jane's arm, contently closing her eyes as she allowed herself to melt under Jane's light touch once more. Jane's fingers once again began to mindlessly play with Maura's honey curls. Within minutes, a soft barely audible snoring broke the silence that had fallen upon them. Jane tried her best not to move as she peeked down at Maura to see that the blonde was now fast asleep.

She took a moment to commit to memory the way Maura's lashes cast delicate shadows on her cheeks, the contour of her nose, and the delicate dip above her upper lip. She couldn't help but think how at peace she looked, such a contrast to the quarreling emotions Jane knew Maura was battling with on the inside. Her features were relaxed as she dozed quietly in Jane's arms.

She continued to silently watch as Maura slept. Every now and then, her brows with furrow as though she was dreaming of something unpleasant. Jane would move her hand to the small of her back and firmly apply some pressure, hoping that in some way this would let Maura know that she wasn't alone. After some time, Jane slowly breathed in deeply, careful not to jolt Maura in her sleep. As she held her breath, she leaned and ever so lightly pressed her lips to Maura's forehead with her nose buried in Maura's golden locks. Maura's skin felt soft and deliciously warm under her lips. As Jane granted herself this moment, she slowly breathed out, angling her head as to have her cheek pressed against the top of the sleeping Maura's head.

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She had always firmly believed that a platonic relationship was better than nothing. However, ever since Maura had waltzed into her life, she had twisted Jane's world upside down and threw her beliefs into disarray. Platonic was a term that Jane was beginning to believe didn't exist when it came to Maura Isles.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ Thanksgiving at the Rizzoli household brings about some unexpected clarity.

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_**A/N:** _I apologize for the length of this chapter. I just couldn't bring myself to chop it up into smaller sections or cut pieces out of it. I hope you enjoy! Also, don't crucify me if I got some of the Italian terminology wrong. I am not Italian (my best friend is though, does that count?).

* * *

Jane jerked awake with the sudden vibration of her cell in her pocket, forgetting for a moment where she was. She immediately calmed down as she took stock of the warm body curled up at her side. She frowned trying to remember why she was on a couch with Maura. She must have dozed off after Maura had slipped into sleep. She shifted her weight so that she could reposition Maura, holding her up with one hand as she quickly grabbed onto a nearby pillow and placed it under Maura's heavy head as she lowered the unconscious blonde onto it. She stepped away to answer her phone.

"Hey ma," she whispered, trying to find a room to escape to as to not wake Maura but quickly remembered that this loft was big on the whole open space concept. She frowned as she spun in a circle before quickly ducking into the bathroom, closing the door silently behind her. She sat down on the edge of the bathtub.

"Don't 'hey ma' me! Where the hell are you?"

Jane closed her eyes and leaned forward to the point where her head was in between her knees.

"Maura's. I fell asleep on the couch. She had a rough evening last night… I couldn't just leave her," her voice dripped with sleep and sounded strained as she kept her awkward position. Jane could picture it now. Her mother was in the kitchen amongst an array of pots and pans, shooing just about anyone who dared to enter her kitchen. Her voice softened as she reply,

"Oh, Janie, that's fine."

Jane straightened up hearing the sudden shift in her mother's tone. One minute ago her mother was ready to rip into her for not having come home the previous night but now upon hearing that it had something to do with Maura, she was singing a completely different tune.

"When are you coming home? I need your help. You always help," Angela asked.

Jane glanced down at her watch, considering her options.

"Maura's still sleeping. Give me an hour just to be on the safe side. I don't want to just disappear," she replied.

She could hear the echo of a knife against a chopping board as her mother spoke,

"Drive safe, hun. Oh, and bring Maura along if she doesn't have other plans. See you soon!"

With that, Jane heard the click as her mother disconnected. She was somewhat relieved that it was Angela who brought up inviting Maura first. The topic was just not something Jane was ready to brace in her half asleep state and it would be easier to persuade Maura to come by pulling the mom card. Just as she shoved her phone back into her pocket, she heard a soft knock at the door,

"Jane?"

Maura's voice was soft but had a certain raspy sound often associated with having just woken up. Jane shot up to her feet before opening the door. She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face as she took in the sight of a ridiculously adorable and drowsy Maura. The shorter woman was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes just as Jane swung open the door. Maura took a step back and looked up to the brunette.

"Did I…" she pointed back towards the couch and Jane nodded.

"Oh you did. You so fell asleep on me."

Maura buried her face in her hands as she felt warmth creep across her cheeks.

"I am so sorry," she spoke into her hands. Jane reached up and gently peeled back Maura's fingers until she willingly pulled down her hands.

"It's fine. How are you feeling?"

Jane sidestepped Maura and exited the bathroom. Maura looked over her shoulder as she stepped in front of the mirror, sliding it open to reveal her medical cabinet. She pulled out some ibuprofen and popped two pills into her mouth, washing them down with a cup of water.

"Just a small headache," she turned to face Jane before asking, "I didn't say or do anything incredibly embarrassing, did I?"

Jane shook her head, turning on her heels. Bringing her hand up in the air and tilting it left and right, she walked back to the couch and plopped into it.

"No, nothing _too _embarrassing."

Maura was inspecting herself in the mirror as she listened to Jane. Her hair was an absolute mess. She was wearing clothes that she quite honestly had no idea she owned. How could she have let Jane see her like this? Never again, she promised herself.

"Hey, my mom invited you over for Thanksgiving. I'm sure she'd love to have you join us. It's always just me, my pop, her and Frankie… so…"

Maura leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms and deciding to play coy as she asked,

"Just your mom, Jane?"

Maura watched as the brunette grabbed one of the throw pillows and ran her fingers along the edges.

"Ahh… sure. I mean, I, euh…" she cleared her throat, swallowing a dry lump, "I'd also like it if you came."

Her answer from the moment Jane mentioned the invitation was going to be yes but Maura had recently taken note of how Jane would often fumble or become fidgety around her at times, and she now enjoyed witnessing these small moments knowing that she was partly to blame for them. It was cruel, she knew, but it was also incredibly adorable. She smiled brightly before answering,

"I'd love to, Jane. Give me a few minutes to freshen up and we can head out. You know, I've never seen your house. I'm excited. Oh, and to see your parents again."

* * *

"Hey ma! I'm home and I brought a guest," Jane exclaimed as she entered through the front door, immediately followed by Maura. Sporting an apron covered in flour, Angela immediately came barreling out of the kitchen before either of them had the chance to remove their coats. Angela skipped over Jane and just about fawned over Maura,

"Maura! I am so happy you could join us and to finally see you again since you and Janie have started seeing so much of each other."

She eagerly reached out to pull Maura into a hug but Jane swiftly stopped her by bringing her arm up between them.

"What?" Angela shot a menacing look at Jane.

"Ma, look at yourself. You're covered in flour!"

Angela looked down at her apron and smoothed out some wrinkles before embarrassingly saying,

"Oh, I forgot about that."

She beamed up at them before turning around and heading back into the kitchen,

"You girls come in the kitchen once you've said hello to Frank and Frankie, all right?"

Jane turned to face Maura after kicking off her boots and placed her hands gently over Maura's.

"It's not too late. Get out while you still can," she whispered, her eyes wide.

Maura laughed while shaking her head. She turned her hands palm up in Jane's hands and gave them a soft squeeze.

"I'll be fine, Jane. I'm quite looking forward to spending time with your family."

She handed Jane her coat, tilting her head to the side. Chocolate eyes narrowed at her and she replied with a small smirk causing Jane to just sigh out of frustration.

"Fine," she grunted turning her back to Maura as she shoved their coats into the front closet. She reached behind Maura, placing a hand to the small of her back and gently guiding her towards the living room. She poked her head in and waved vigorously in the air. Both Frank and Frankie were staring blankly at the television. Some Thanksgivings, Jane would join them after she'd helped her mother in the kitchen or after Angela had kicked her out of the kitchen for screwing up.

"Hey pop! Hey Frankie. We've got a guest so don't look like such zombies."

Maura offered a small wave and smile.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Mr. Rizzoli, Frankie," Maura greeted cheerfully.

As though a switch had been flicked both Frank and Frankie tore their eyes from the television and turned their attention to Jane and Maura. Frankie smirked at Jane, and sarcastically noted,

"Oh, hey Janie, you finally home?"

Frank reached out and swatted at his son. Frankie just looked over and gestured with his hands and mouthed 'what?'

"Yeah, Frankie, what's it to you?"

"Just curious. So where were you?"

"Maura's, not that it's any of _your_ business," Jane hissed.

Frankie raised an eyebrow before looking back to Frank.

"I apologize. I believe that is my fault. I might have had a little too much to drink which resulted in me being a little too emotional," Maura began to explain. Jane looked over her shoulder and eyed Maura. Hoping that the expression on her face would be clear and Maura would stop talking. She didn't. Jane's shoulders slumped down in defeat and she just waited for the onslaught from her brother to begin.

"We were sitting on the sofa when we both fell asleep," she finished, speaking as though she was explaining one of the simplest occurrences in the universe.

"On the sofa, Janie?" Frankie teased and she just pointed a finger at him.

"Shut up, Frankie!"

She rolled her eyes and waved at them, a sign that she was finished dealing with Frankie. Frank was a simple bystander. She turned to head into the kitchen but bumped into Maura. Jane grabbed the other's shoulders and turned her towards the kitchen.

"Would'ya," she breathed and Maura gave her a confused look before finally obeying the turn in her shoulders and heading into the kitchen. They burst into the kitchen and within seconds, Angela was ordering Jane around.

"Janie, can you bring me that pot over there," she waved over to her right and Jane found herself staring at a collection of pots.

"Which one? There are like four different pots here, ma!"

"The bigger one."

Jane frowned before taking a guess at which pot was the biggest one and brought it over to Angela. She plopped it down on the counter beside her and looked over to Maura.

"Finally, I have a witness for the horror my mother puts me through during Thanksgiving prep," Jane quipped, owning her a jab to the hip by her mother.

"Who's going to carry on my family recipes? Not Frankie that's for sure! Definitely not Tommy!"

Jane raised her hands in surrender and rolled her eyes,

"I know, ma. I know."

"Then why do ya gotta be like that, eh?"

"Who else is going to give you a hard time?" Jane mocked, earning her another jab. She swatted at the jabbing hand.

Maura simply stood watching the two interact, enjoying their dynamic. Over the past few months, Jane had certainly been more candid about her family life than Maura had and although she hadn't seen them since their first meeting at the softball game, which both vetoed as an actual meeting, Maura felt as though she already knew the Rizzoli clan. The one individual Jane was tight lipped about, however, was her younger brother Tommy. She'd occasionally slip up and say something, usually out of frustration. Maura would often pretend she hadn't heard and allow Jane to quickly recover and try to direct the conversation into safer territory.

Angela busied herself with filling the pot Jane had just brought over with water, generously adding salt before cutting in half a few Russet potatoes into the pot and setting them to boil.

"Jane, why don't you go clean up? You're wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Maura and I can handle ourselves in here without you. Isn't that right, sweetie?"

Jane glanced over to Maura who looked a little uncertain of herself. Before exiting the kitchen, Jane shot a look at her mother,

"Ma, be nice. She's not Italian and definitely doesn't know the ins and outs of your kitchen or Angela Rizzoli's cooking secrets."

And with those wise words, Jane disappeared into the hallway. Maura looked over to Angela and smiled,

"Is there anything I can help you with, Misses Rizzoli?"

"Angela, hun. You can call me Angela," she began as she surveyed the kitchen, attempting to gauge what needed to be done or what could be done at that time.

"Hmm, you can help me put together the antipasto. You can cut up the cheeses. I've… um," she fumbled around trying to find them. She moved a few things around on the counter before turning to rummage through the fridge.

"Ah, never took them out!"

She pulled them out and placed them on the counter next to a cutting board.

"Here, start with these and afterwards I'll get you to do the meats," Angela instructed as she placed a platter on the counter.

Maura more than happily obliged, cutting up the cheeses and arranging them on the platter. She meticulously took her time, slicing each piece to be of equal proportion. As they both continued about in the kitchen, Angela engaged Maura in small talk, garnering information that Jane was unwilling to share. Since that night in the kitchen when Jane had first brought up Maura, Angela would occasionally try to poke about out of genuine curiosity but Jane was and always had been very private and didn't divulge much about her new found friendship.

Just as Maura was finishing up, Angela popped up by her side with the sliced cured meats,

"Do you do this kind of stuff with your mother?" she asked, waving a spoon around at the kitchen. Maura picked up the meats and arranged them on the platter as she shook her head,

"No, no I don't. I did spend some time helping our chef around the kitchen growing up," a smile crept onto her lips as the memories came back to her.

"She hated having me in the kitchen at first but once she realized she wasn't going to get rid of me, she put me to good use. We used to always put together some antipasto and eat it in the kitchen… my mother wasn't a big fan of it and so it would be our little treat."

"So she was Italian?" Angela asked as she pulled out an already blind baked pie crust.

Maura hummed her agreement with a soft 'mmhmm' as she finished up platting all the meats.

"Miss-ah, Angela, do you have any peperoncini for the antipasto?"

Just then, Jane re-entered the kitchen and scoffed,

"Do _we_ have any peperoncini? Is my name Jane?"

Maura wiped her hands on a nearby cloth, casting a glance towards Jane and answering in a serious tone.

"As much as you've told me, yes, your name is Jane. Unless you lied…"

Angela patted Maura's arm gently as she whispered close to her ear,

"Don't mind her. They're in the fridge," she stepped back, and shot a look at Jane, "You, stop being a smart ass and make yourself useful. Those potatoes for the gnocchi should be done by now."

Jane squeezed by her mother to turn off the stove and pull the pot off the burner before plucking the potato halves out of the water. She placed them in a bowl and dropped down to a crouch to poke around through the cupboards below.

"You know, I'm surprised she's even allowed you in the kitchen. I've never seen a non-Italian in this kitchen. Heck, I've never seen a non-Rizzoli. She must really like you," she grinned up at Maura as she fished out the peppers from the fridge.

Maura offered a small shrug of her shoulders before speaking,

"Did you know that in Italy, peperoncini is called _friggitelli_? Peppers in general are often simply called _peperoni. _Not to be confused, of course, with the American notion of pepperoni, the spicy sausage, which came about as a corruption of the term _peperoni_."

Jane raised her eyebrows before grabbing the countertop with one hand and pulling herself back up after finding the potato ricer.

"Thank you, Maura-pedia."

Angela looked at Maura, eyes wide with amazement.

"You speak Italian?"

"_Abbastanza _(Enough). I had to learn a little to get by whenever we vacationed there," she replied with a smile. She pulled out a few peppers from the jar and began slicing them into bite size pieces. She looked over her shoulder and watched as Jane quickly rid the boiled potatoes of their skin before pressing them through the ricer.

"Janie knows Italian but she doesn't tell anyone that. I don't know why. She should be proud of her heritage," Angela shrugged as she spooned in the pumpkin pie filling into the pie crust.

"I am proud, ma. It's just… when do you drop something like that in a conversation? _Oh by the way, I know Italian_," she finished the sentence with a posh wave of a floured hand with her head tilted back. She snorted at her own attempt at haughtiness before gathering the potatoes into a mound, dusting flour onto the top of it and slowly folding the mound over itself.

"I don't know. I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities. You just don't think highly of yourself, Janie. You always downplay a lot of what makes you _you_!"

Jane breathed in deeply as she continued to work the flour into the potato until she was content with the consistency. The one thing she always loved to do since her mother taught her how was to prepare the gnocchi. The fact that she eventually mastered preparing it without the egg as the glue made her proud. She felt both her mother and Maura's eyes on her as she began to roll out tubes of the dough that she'd then cut into little pieces before boiling. She wasn't used to an audience since her mother usually left her to do her own thing with the knowledge that Jane knew what needed to be done and knew how her mother wanted it. She felt her cheeks grow warm as she continued to work, pretending that the eyes watching her didn't bother her. After a few minutes, she looked out of the corner of her eye to see that Maura had averted her gaze and had returned to the peppers.

"Is there anything else you'd like for the antipasto?" Maura asked as she sealed the jar of peppers and placed them back in the refrigerator.

"There should be an olive tapenade in a container in there somewhere," Angela replied as she tapped the pie onto the counter top a few times and set it aside. She exhaled loudly as she placed her hands on her hips and swept the kitchen with her eyes. Maura finished up the platter just as Jane was beginning to drop the doughy balls of potato into the boiling water she'd set aside earlier. She looked over to Maura and smiled,

"You know you are more than welcome to join pop and Frankie out in the living room. You're a guest… you don't have to be helpin' out in the kitchen."

Maura shook her head and casually waved Jane off.

"It's my pleasure. I enjoy being in the kitchen. I was just telling your mother how I used to help our chef when I was a kid. I am reveling in your mother daughter dynamics. It's refreshing."

She offered a tender smile and for a brief moment, Jane forgot that her mother was still in the kitchen as she lost herself in Maura's words and expressive eyes.

"Janie, the gnocchi!"

Jane's shoulders jerked upwards as she was jolted back and returned her attention on the now floating potato dumplings before fishing them out and repeating the process all over again. Angela walked over to Maura, wiping her hands on her apron before gently guiding her towards the kitchen entrance,

"Maura, darling, would you mind checking on the boys. They usually aren't this quiet for so long."

"Oh, of course!"

Jane smiled to herself at Maura's obliviousness at being shooed out of the kitchen by Angela. Before the smile had time to disappear, she felt a swift slap across her arm and flinched,

"Ow! Ma! What was that for?"

Jane rubbed the spot where she'd been thwacked and frowned at her mother.

"I'm not blind! I see the way you are around her."

Jane clenched her jaw, breathing in deeply and exhaling before speaking. Her eyes were glued to the pot of boiling water as she mechanically took out the cooked dumplings and added more raw ones to the pot.

"Can we not talk about this?" she voiced calmly, hoping that for once her mother would drop the topic before it was even picked up. Instead, Angela reached out and stilled Jane's hands by taking them in hers.

"Look at me."

Jane kept her eyes fixed on the boiling surface of the pot, counting the seconds after the gnocchi floated to the top.

"Look at me, Janie," Angela insisted in a more demanding tone. Jane finally gave in and turned to face her mother with an exaggerated sigh. Once Angela had her attention, she began,

"It's not always going to be the same outcome. You can't let one bad experience keep you from potential happiness. I know I'm pushy and overbearing at times but believe me when I say that you deserve happiness just as much as the next person. Don't let fear get in the way of that."

Jane closed her eyes tightly, her mother's words washing over her. After a minute, she opened them and locked eyes with her mother's. It was like looking in a mirror. They had the same eyes, deep brown and emotive, or so her father always said.

"What if I'm the only one feeling like this? For all I know, she's _completely _into guys. I can't fu-mess up our friendship. It would just become awkward. I'd rather just… I don't know," she puffed out a breath before continuing, "I said I didn't want to talk about this. I can't, I just… I just can't."

She turned back to the gnocchi and finished cooking them all. She arranged the plate she'd been piling them onto nicely before placing it with the rest of the finished plates.

"I know, I know. Just remember that sometimes if you want something to happen, you gotta jump first."

* * *

The Rizzoli family Thanksgiving dinner was a mixture of some traditional Italian dishes and traditional American Thanksgiving dishes. Maura found herself enjoying the family's company, perhaps even more than the delicious food. She had to repeatedly refuse both Frank and Angela's constant offers for wine. She usually wouldn't find herself denying herself a little wine but the mere thought of it after the previous day brought on a mild wave of nausea. It was still too early to welcome that delicious friend back into her life.

By the end of the meal, all were extremely sated and lethargic. Frankie immediately blamed the turkey for making him feel so sleepy, as he did every year. However, this year, they had Maura to inform them that it was the L-tryptophan amino acid which caused the sleepiness. All of the Rizzolis glanced at Maura with the exact same look which caused her to giggle.

"What? It's the truth. L-tryptophan can be metabolized into serotonin and melatonin which are neurotransmitters which have a calming effect on the body."

"This is great, Janie. Wherever you go, as long as you have Maure with you, it's like having instant access to Google!" Frankie remarked. Maura took this as a compliment and smiled.

"Frankie! She isn't just a walking encyclopedia, all right?" Jane retorted, burying her face in her hands. She reminded herself to apologize profusely to Maura later for having put her through the Rizzoli family experience. _I should really start charging admission_, she thought to herself.

Angela emerged from the kitchen with the dessert, her pumpkin cream cheese pie. She placed it in the center of the table and as if rehearsed, Frank began cutting it up and serving a piece for everyone.

"Coffee anyone?" Angela asked and as though they had anticipated her question both Frankie and Jane's hands shot up in front of them. Maura mirrored their action and smiled thankfully as Frank placed a piece of pie in front of her. She felt so incredibly included within the fabrics of this family that it caused a delicate ache in her chest to bloom. This was what it was like to have _real _family dinners. She could definitely get used to this type of family dynamics and selfishly hoped that Jane would invite her more often.

A few minutes after they'd all started to enjoy Angela's delicious pie, she reappeared with a tray full of coffee cups. She effortlessly placed one in front of everyone before vanishing back into the kitchen for a minute and returning with cream and sugar. Maura couldn't help but notice that Jane who usually drank her coffee with sugar and some cream opted to drink it black. She added this observation to the mental list of Jane quirks that she had begin compiling without consciously deciding to do so.

As Angela settled back into her seat and sipped her coffee, she smiled over the lip of her cup at Maura and asked,

"So, Maura, tell me, do you have a boyfriend? Jane refuses to tell me anything about you."

Jane clumsily dropped her fork and it clanged loudly as it landed on the table top.

"Ma! Seriously?" she groaned as she picked up her fork and stabbed her pie.

"Maur, you don't have to answer that. Ma's fishing where she has no business poking her nose in."

Maura shook her head as she finished swallowing some coffee. She delicately brought the cup down to the table before straightening up in her seat.

"Oh, it's not a bother. No, I don't have a _boyfriend_."

Jane noted the change in inflection as Maura pronounced boyfriend which she took as the blonde's dislike of the word. She even noticed the subtle way in which Maura crinkled her nose as she said it.

"Is that so?" Angela perked up and Jane shot her a menacing look.

Maura found herself within mid bite and waved her fork daintily in the air before answering nonchalantly,

"It's not that there are no men. They just serve their purpose and well… that's that. I see no use with them afterwards. There's just no emotional connection."

Jane could not believe her mother was actually pursuing this and that Maura was egging her on by rewarding her nosy question with an answer. What alternate universe had she just been dropped into? This felt like an episode of the _Twilight Zone_. No, this could not be happening. When Angela innocently smiled in response as she not so discreetly looked to Jane, she slumped down into her seat, her hand shooting up to her brow and covering her face. She grumbled and nudged Frankie,

"Change the subject," she hissed.

"So, how about that football game!" Frankie yelped as elbow connected with ribs.

This seemed to temporary veer the conversation off the uncomfortable topic of Maura's sexual liaisons much to Angela's chagrin. Thankfully, the remainder of the evening was free of Angela's prodding and filled with playful jokes and embarrassing stories. While the group reminisced, Angela quietly slipped into the kitchen and began clearing out dishes. Maura politely excused herself as she brought in her dishes to the kitchen.

"Can I help you with those, Angela?" she offered, placing her coffee cup and plate along with the others. Angela busied herself with filling the dishwasher with every dish that could fit. She sighed as she shook her head,

"There's no need, Maura. Like Janie said, you're our guest tonight. You don't have to but thank you for offering."

"I insist. You prepared all this lovely food. The least I can do is help clean up."

Angela handed her a drying cloth and smiled,

"Well, if you insist. I'll wash, you dry."

Maura beamed as she settled herself next to Angela at the sink and waited for the dishes to be placed in the drying rack for her to hand dry.

"Jane will be happy to be spared this chore. She usually makes a big fuss about having to help clean up while the boys continue to walk."

They stood silently for the majority of the task. Maura diligently picked up the dishes and dried them thoroughly before storing them wherever Angela pointed to. After twenty minutes, Angela broke the monotonous silence as she watched the sink empty of its soapy water.

"Janie's a good girl, you know. I'm sure you know," she began before shifting her attention to Maura who was finishing up with the dishes that had just been placed into the rack. She turned to face Angela as she worked on drying a large pot.

"She's been hurt before and I doubt she's told you because she doesn't open up easily but just be careful with her, all right?"

Maura, now focused on Angela's words, did not realize that she was now drying an already dry pot.

"I would never dream of hurting Jane. She's the closest friend I've ever had," Maura admitted and Angela was able to detect the sincerity in her voice which appeased her. Maura hadn't given their relationship much thorough thought. However, now that she allowed herself to pay it some attention, it was unlike any she had experienced before. There were certain unexplainable characteristics that Jane brought out in her that Maura couldn't begin to rationalize. It was simply organic in its purest sense. In all reality, their personalities were incompatible and complete opposites yet somehow they clicked. Jane may not always understand her but Maura never felt as though Jane was judging her, or mentality making fun of her. Of course, she would occasionally make jabs at her but it was never in a mean way. Maura always knew that the playful banter between the two was just that, playful. But was there something more there? Could there ever be more there? Maura had never shared common ground with the heteronormative thought that a man can only find happiness with a woman and vice versa. She had never shut herself off from the myriad of human connections the universe had to offer. Truthfully, Maura had never allowed herself to connect with anyone on an emotional basis. She always saw herself as incapable of such a deep and often lasting emotion when most aspects of everyday life are ephemeral. It was then that it hit her. It was as if someone had crawled into her head and pulled the chain turning on the light. The emotions she had spent the last few weeks struggling to understand suddenly seemed clearer, still foreign yet somehow tangible.

Angela must have understood the sudden look of clarity that flashed momentarily across Maura's face because she reached out, took the pot away from Maura before reaching out for her hands.

"Make the first move because if you wait for Jane, she won't risk it."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ Leave it up to Maura to come up with a _really _amazing way to remember pulse points.

* * *

**_A/N:_ **Your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated! I love reading your reviews. Thanks for patiently waiting it out with me but here's a little sneak at what many of you have been shouting for a while now! :) I hope you enjoy.

* * *

"Seriously?" Jane sighed, snapping the book in front of her closed and rupturing the silence that had comfortably settled down on the room. Maura flinched at the sound and slowly pulled her eyes away from _The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat & Other Clinical Tales _by Oliver Sacks. Maura wasn't fussed by Jane's constant taunting when it came to her choices of leisure reading and would often gingerly whip out her book of choice during what Jane had termed their 'study sessions'. But if Maura were to be honest, since Thanksgiving dinner, on the days that she did pull out an academic text in lieu of a non-academic one, she rarely did study. She artfully pretended to study, keeping her gaze down on her text and only chancing the briefest of glances in Jane's direction when she knew the brunette would be too engrossed in her own text. She would admire the structure of Jane's jaw line, the way her brows furrowed when she concentrated or how she'd chew on her lower lip when something proved particularly difficult. She had taken Angela's words to heart and over the last week had begun to drop subtle hints and soon understood that what Angela had said was painfully true. Maura's charm and flirtatious ways when she wanted something from someone or someone had never failed her and yet with Jane, she now doubted her abilities.

"What is it?" Maura asked, genuinely intrigued as to what could be vexing her friend this time around. Jane scrunched her nose and gestured widely at the book in front of her,

"I just don't see the point in learning pulse points. I always forget at least one of them…" she trailed off as she continued to look upon the book with absolute disgust which caused Maura to laugh. Jane shot her a look and Maura immediately stopped and forced herself to stop smiling,

"I'm sorry, Jane, but the look you were just giving the poor book was just…"

"Just what, Maur? I can't with this memorizing stuff. I'm just no good at it!"

"You need to look at the bigger picture. Pulse points are crucial and may come in good use if you ever have to assert whether someone is… dead for example. Blood pressure can be easily linked to pressure points which as you know from your defense classes can inflict intense pain on an individual," she didn't intend for her words to sound so matter of fact and they slipped out of her mouth before she had time to swallow them. This was often the case with Maura and it never ceased to amaze and surprise her that Jane tolerated her word diarrhea, especially since the majority of it revolved around topics that she had no interest in. This was one of the quirks Jane first noticed about her but unlike most other individuals who pointed it out, Maura did not feel victimized by Jane's words. She liked to remind Jane that her random facts were always somehow relevant even if she had to explain how they were connected to the topic at hand.

Despite being surrounded by like-minded individuals in some of her courses, the few moments of reprieve from judging consciences Maura experienced were in the presence of Jane Rizzoli. Jane Rizzoli, the one person who somehow over the briefest amount of time, eased her way into Maura's life. Jane Rizzoli, the one and only person she could remember to have ever worked so diligently at building a door in Maura's fortress and allowed herself to enter at will. Jane Rizzoli, the girl who was currently looking at Maura in such a way that she immediately knew what Jane wanted to say but before she had the chance, Maura jumped in,

"I can show you if you'd like. May I?" she asked, slowly closing the book in her lap and sliding it on the desk behind her. Maura wasn't daft and despite her social awkwardness, knew an opportunity when one presented itself. This one plopped itself directly in her lap and she would be out of her mind not to take it. It all rested on whether Jane said yes.

"Euh… sure?" Jane's eyes followed Maura as she stood from the chair she had ensconced herself in an hour ago. She wiggled her toes and stretched before taking up a spot next to Jane on her bed. Usually their study sessions were held in the library but today Jane had put up such a fight and had insisted Maura come to her place. She made the argument that the library was too sterile and quiet and definitely not conducive to her retaining anything. Maura acquiesced and had made her way to Jane's instead of the library on campus.

"Work your magic on me, Dr. Isles," Jane teased, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. Ever since Maura had let it slip that her ultimate goal was to practice medicine, Jane had begun to call her ''. Maura shrugged it off and tucked her feet under her to the side. She contemplated the best way to go about this before beginning,

"All right… face me," she motioned for Jane to turn about and face her, "Just trust me. I'll be easier for me to show you this way."

Jane obliged and waited for further instructions, if any were to ensue. Instead, Maura reached out and gently took a hold of Jane's socked foot. Maura looked up to Jane and offered a reassuring smile as her fingers wrapped under the arch of Jane's foot and her thumbs gently pressed the top of it,

"This," she began barely above a whisper, "is the dorsalis pedis pulse."

Jane wiggled her toes and watched the brief smile crawl across Maura's lips. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. Maura was concentrating on locating another pulse point. Her fingers nimbly slipped under the cuff of Jane's pants, eliciting a gasp from Jane as Maura's fingers brushed against the inside of her ankle. She applied gentle pressure as she indicated,

"This is your tibialis posterior pulse," she looked up to Jane to see if any of this was registering with her or whether she should approach this from another angle.

"So… wait, I'm trying to think of ways of remembering these," she stated, locking eyes with Maura's.

"If it helps any, their location is in tandem with their respective arteries often of the same name."

Jane laughed and nodded,

"Oh yeah, that helps me loads, Maur. Not everyone has the memory of an elephant."

"Hey, I don't need to be helping you. I could just return to that chair over there and resume reading my fascinating book."

"I read the back of that the other day. Sounds just about as fascinating as Ma's weekends."

Maura simply tsk'ed her and continued with the task at hand. Her hands adeptly traveled up the length of Jane's calf and forced her leg up so that her knee was bent. She buried her fingers in the crook created by Jane's knee and noted,

"Popliteal pulse…"

Maura, despite all her might, found her face getting warm as she realized which pulse point came next.

"You're blushing… Maura, why are you blushing?" Jane's voice went up an octave and her words were spoken in a faster cadence than normal.

"It's just a little warm in here," she blurted out a little too quickly and hoped that Jane wouldn't notice how she wouldn't look her in the eye. It wasn't completely dishonest though. Maura's entire body felt on fire and it wasn't something she could control by talking herself down. No, this was a hormonal reaction that she could not easily squelch with words.

"The next is the femoral pulse located in the inner thigh but I'm just going to skip that one," she reached out and took a hold of Jane's arm. She chose to ignore the suggestive perk of Jane's eyebrow as she continued unabashed and undeterred. The fact that Jane had yet to make any comments gave Maura the inclination that the proximity and contact wasn't bothering Jane.

"There are several in your arm and if you hold your hand out like this," she splayed Jane's fingers out, palm up towards the ceiling, and lightly ran her fingers along her wrist before taking a hold of it. She pressed her thumb lightly down on the right side of Jane's arm,

"This is your ulnar pulse and this", she shifted Jane's arm into her left hand and pressed down on the left side of Jane's arm, "is your radial pulse."

"Okay, so foot, ankle, knee, thigh, and arm. Got it," Jane smirked as Maura gave her a look of exasperation. Jane looked back to her wrist and Maura's slender fingers gently wrapped around it. She looked back up to Maura.

"Before you start, I know, I know it's much more complicated than that but let me go about it this way first," Jane assured her and Maura busied herself with finding the last pulse point on Jane's arm. Her fingers crawled up Jane's arm and cupped her elbow. Her fingers gently prodded her bicep just above the crook of her elbow. She let out a little 'aha' when she'd located it,

"This is your brachial pulse. Commonly used to measure blood pressure as I am sure you are aware of. Now you'll know the name to go along with it," she searched Jane's face to see whether she should march on with the original plan that had formed itself in her mind when she had offered to show her the pulse points or whether she should retreat and reconvene at another time.

She shifted a little, the blood flow having been cut off to her lower limbs, causing her feet to begin tingling. She brought them forward and crossed her legs as she leaned forward and reached out to touch Jane's face. Without any warning, Jane jerked back before settling back down once Maura explained,

"I'm sorry. Do you mind? I don't need to touch you to show you," Maura said and she was betrayed by the own hurt in her voice. Thankfully, Jane's eyes fluttered shut and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips,

"No, you just caught me off guard. I'd love for my doc to be as gentle as you are. I don't think he knows his own strength sometimes," Jane tilted her head back ever so slightly and Maura could swear she could hear a gentle hum as her fingers explored Jane's temple. What is it that they always say? No time like the present? Maura thought to herself. Yes, no time like the present. She'd inched herself closer and closer to Jane as the exploration of her pulse points unraveled and she found herself within inches of Jane's face. She could smell the light scent of her shampoo and had to stop herself from inhaling deeply to identify the underlying notes. She swallowed the knot that had somehow formed in her throat and was taken aback by the sudden onslaught of insecurity that washed over her. Jane Rizzoli, the one person who without even trying could turn Maura's universe upside down. Maura closed the gap and pressed her lips to Jane's temple before whispering,

"Temporal pulse…" she waited only the briefest of moments to see whether Jane would protest, pull back or push her away. None of those happened and so she quickly moved down to press her lips once more to Jane's warm skin along her jaw line near her ear,

"Maxillary pulse…" she heard Jane's breath hitch and felt her body stiffen.

"Maura…" she managed to choke out but Maura was determined and the sound of her name did not alarm her. There was no tone in her voice that indicated that what Maura had done trespassed any boundaries. This was one of the personality traits that individuals either despised or found endearing in Maura – her relentlessness. Her lips soon found themselves pressed with a little more force to Jane's neck and she could feel Jane's heart beat against her lips and closed her eyes to relish in the moment.

"Carotid pulse," she exhaled, sounding almost breathless, somewhat relieved. How many times had she lost herself in the fantasy of imagining the feel of Jane's skin against her lips, the smell of her as she buried her face in the crook of Jane's neck and just then Maura allowed herself to linger. She also lingered with the purpose of not having to be confronted with disappointment, rejection, disgust even. Regardless of what Angel had told her at Thanksgiving, she wasn't able to discard the doubt that hung onto her every move.

"Maura?" Jane's voice resonated in her ears and caused a shiver to crawl down her spine as Jane's mouth hovered painfully close to her ear. Her hands rested gently on Maura's upper arms, holding her gently. When did that happen? She asked herself. She had not even noticed when Jane had done so.

"Yes, Jane?" she replied in her usual way whenever Jane mentioned her name in a question like fashion.

"Carotid, right?" she asked, and Maura noticed the tilt of Jane's head and soon felt Jane's cheek pressed against her own. It did not escape Maura either that Jane hadn't simply referred to it as the neck pulse as she'd previous done with the others. A sigh of relief escaped her lips and she wondered if she'd been holding her breath. She had not been attentive to her own physical needs but rather kept an ear and eye for Jane's which would belay whether or not she should pack up her things and get as far away as possible from the Rizzoli house. Jane shifted her weight a little and snaked her fingers around the nape of Maura's neck before kissing Maura's jaw,

"Maxillary, right?" she whispered and this caused goosebumps to form on Maura's arms. In the process of measuring out all the possible outcomes of her rash decision less than a half an hour ago, she had not anticipated this unlikely turn of events. She fumbled for words,

"Uh huh, yeah… sure…" she finally managed and Jane chuckled,

"Uh huh, yeah, sure? I never thought I'd see the day when Maura Isles was left speechless!"

Maura drew in a shaky breath before slowly pulling back, allowing herself to sweep over Jane's face. She was generally good at reading people's expressions but as with everything else, Jane was unlike any other and left her perplexed. She couldn't read her and simply went with the truth. She licked her lips, trying to buy some time, before confessing,

"Jane… every day you leave me speechless," and within seconds, Jane's hand slowly crept from the back of Maura's neck to cup her jaw. She leaned in, eliminating any distance between them. Her lips had barely grazed Maura's when she stopped herself, hesitating. This was it, she realized. If she kissed Maura, there was no going back. She could lose herself in her, melt under her touch, and disappear within her kisses. She felt Maura's warm breath against her lips as she waited for Jane. Jane could feel the goosebumps multiplying across the soft expanse of skin beneath her fingertips where her other hand rested on Maura's arm.

"Jane?" Maura managed to articulate, barely above a whisper against the other woman's lips, her breath quivering. Neither moved for what seemed like an eternity and when Jane's lips finally pressed softly yet demandingly against Maura's, the gentleness in which Jane kissed her caused her head to swim. Her chest felt light and warmth began to spread out from her abdomen to her extremities as she leaned into Jane, bringing herself to her knees in the process, and for but a moment she was taller than Jane. She slipped into Jane's lap, straddling her thighs and curled her arms around her shoulders. She kissed her back with a fiery passion that had been bubbling just below the surface. A faint involuntary whimper escaped passed Maura's lips as Jane slowly pulled away,

"Took you long enough," she jested before peppering Maura with kisses. Maura would have considered being insulted had she not been overwhelmed with the wealth of kisses coming her way. Instead, she slowly leaned back with her hands locked together behind Jane's shoulders and locked eyes with the slender brunette.

"You're one to talk," she expressed with playfulness to her words in an attempt to mask what she felt deep at her core. She pressed her forehead against Jane's gently as her eyes fluttered shut. She had thought that by making it excruciatingly clear that she was open to something more that everything else would naturally fall into place. However, the feelings she'd struggled with over the past week still caused her confusion. She was no closer to understanding these alien feelings that swelled inside of her. Maura was no stranger to physical intimacy but that's exactly what it was, physical, and nothing more. She'd seek momentary physical gratification and never felt as though she needed to connect on a deeper level. She had never come across an individual who took her breath away, who forced her to re-evaluate how she'd gone about her life so far, or who made her feel wanted for more than her appearance.

Emotional intimacy was something that made her feel surprisingly queasy. She was riddled with doubt when it came to having to uphold an emotional relationship. She understood the logistics behind it but wondered whether she was capable of such devotion. In all other aspects of everyday life, Maura had come to garner some modicum of confidence.

Maura licked her lips before drawing in a shaky.

"I'm scared, Jane."

Jane let out a light laugh before confessing,

"Me too."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ An unconventional first date for our ladies.

* * *

_**A/N:** _Thanks again everyone for all your reviews! I appreciate that you take the time to leave them. I hope you enjoy this next bit.

* * *

Maura sighed as she gazed upon her reflection in the floor length mirror in front of her. She turned to her side and inspected the dress she had just slipped into. This was the fifth outfit she'd tried on in the last half hour.

"Why is this so difficult?" she exclaimed out of sheer desperation to an empty room.

She shot a look to her watch and frowned. She needed to settle on an outfit or she would be just on time or even worse late depending on traffic. She breathed in deeply as she turned once more, running her hand down her abdomen. The smooth fabric of her dress hugged her curves and felt deliciously soft beneath her fingertips. As much as she loved the way she felt and looked in this dress, she had to be sensible. Jane may not know where they were headed for their first date but Maura knew as she had orchestrated it. She resolved to save this dress for when Boston wasn't under constant snowfall. Unlike Jane who had an unwavering love for the thick blankets of snow covering the city and its streets, Maura was beginning to grow weary of it. She disliked always having to rethink her wardrobe for something more suitable to the cold winds and snow.

She carefully slipped the dress off and placed it neatly back onto her bed before padding over to her wardrobe. The sixth trip and still this whole putting an outfit together for a date was posing to be a hurdle that Maura hadn't thought would be this difficult to jump over. It was Jane after all. Jane who had seen her in a pair of sweat pants. Maura delicately chewed the corner of her lip as she finally settled on a pair of slim fitting black jeans and a knitted top with three-quarter dolman sleeves. She gently shook her head, allowing for her curls to settle back on her shoulders. As she made her way into the spare bedroom, she caressed her arms, lavishing the soft wool. She opened the closet which she kept solely for the purpose of storing all her shoes. She leaned forward with her arms wrapped around her waist as she inspected which boots she'd choose. She shot a quick glance out the window and scrunched her nose at the sight of fresh fluffy flakes languidly making their way down from the light grey sky above. Something with traction, she decided as she grabbed a pair of brown knee high leather boots with a minimal heel. She gave herself one last look over in the mirror at the entrance before throwing on her coat, grabbing her purse and keys.

* * *

Jane carefully tiptoed up the stairs from her room, trying to be as discreet as possible as she weaseled her way to the front door. Just as she was sliding her arms into her jacket, Angela appeared and grinned,

"Going on your date with Maura?"

Jane closed her eyes tightly and with a barely audible grown, turned to face her mother. She zipped up her jacket and fixed her eyes on the woman standing opposite of her.

"Yes," she quickly answered, hoping that a short answer would get her out of there faster.

"Why isn't she coming in?" Angela poked her head out the front window then shot a questioning glance at Jane.

"Because I told her not to, ma. Okay?"

"Why? It's not like she hasn't been here before!" Angela exclaimed with a slap to Jane's arm.

"Ow. Why do you always resort to violence when I say something you don't like?" Jane narrowed her eyes at Angela before continuing, "And she met you as friend Maura. Now she's girlfriend Maura and you're a whole different kind of monster when that happens."

She reached up and pulled her hair out from the back of her jacket. She had decided to wear it down today, and hoped that wouldn't be a decision she would grow to regret later. Just in case though, she'd slid a spare hair band around her wrist. She leaned over and brought her arms around her mother's shoulders.

"And you wonder why I resort to violence!"

Angela feigned being offended as she briskly hugged Jane back before pushing her out the door.

"Have fun!"

Jane turned around just in time to see the door close behind her. She shook her head, laughing. Her mother was such a piece of work sometimes. She looked to the driveway where Maura's car stood parked, the engine off. She gingerly skipped down the front steps into the freshly fallen snow, delighting in the foot prints she left behind her as she approached Maura's car. Despite this being like any other outing they'd shared over the past few months, it felt different. Maura quickly stepped out of the car and closed her door gently behind her as Jane neared.

"Hey you," Jane grinned, walking up to Maura. She planted herself a foot or so away from the blonde as she shoved her hands into her front pockets. Maura reached out, wrapping her gloved fingers around the collar of Jane's jacket and pulling her in slowly. She leaned up onto the tips of her toes and grazed her lips against Jane's with a smile.

"Hey."

Jane's smile widened and she suddenly felt like a giddy teenager on their first date. Her hands sunk to Maura's hips as Jane dipped her head and captured Maura's lips in another chaste kiss.

"Where are we going?" she asked against the blonde's lips. She felt the pull of a smile before hearing her reply,

"It's a surprise."

Jane forced a playful pout and pulled back from Maura, keeping her hands firmly on her hips.

"Not even a hint?"

With a sparkle of mischief in her eyes, Maura rapidly placed a last kiss to Jane's lips before lightly pushing her back,

"Consider it payback," she smirked and slipped back into the driver's seat.

Jane threw her hands up in mock frustration as she jokingly stomped her way to the passenger door before getting in. With a forced frown on her face, she pulled the seatbelt out and clicked it in, slumping into the seat afterwards. She crossed her arms and eyed Maura out of the corner of her eye. Maura gave out a soft laugh as she turned the key in the ignition. Her hand reached out after putting the car in reverse to gently squeeze Jane's thigh,

"I promise this is something you'll like…"

Jane perked up a little and tilted her head to the side, looking at Maura with curiosity. Jane was in all seriousness playing around and loved surprises. What she disliked was the process leading up to the surprise. The waiting, the not knowing. The anticipation drove her insane.

"Is that so? What makes you so sure?"

Honey blonde curls bounced as Maura shot a look over her shoulder, pulling out onto the road and shifting into first. Maura fought with whether she should tell Jane the truth, a version of the truth or attempt a believable lie. Regardless of her inability to lie successfully, she always had this split second internal debate as if the end result would be different. It never was.

"Your mother," she stated calmly with her eyes fixed on the road.

As they neared a stop light, Maura allowed herself to quickly glance over to her right and saw the look of sheer confusion marring Jane's face. She reached out and shifted into neutral, allowing herself to lightly rest her hand on Jane's knee.

"I had to make sure you'd never done what I have planned. I didn't want our first date to be a bore," she asserted, absentmindedly running her thumb down the side of Jane's knee. Jane couldn't keep up the façade anymore and cracked a smile.

"My mother, though, really?" she quipped which granted her a light swat to the knee as Maura shifted back into first once the light turned green. As they drove along, Maura would occasionally extend her fingers whenever she'd shift anywhere past 3rd as her hand would often graze Jane's leg. After the third time, Jane allowed her leg to move closer to the shifter which made the occasional reach easier for Maura. To Maura's surprise, this small gesture caused butterflies in her stomach and a small content smile to spread across her lips.

They both had insecurities about this relationship that they had to struggle with but they had voiced these and discussed them at length. It was after that discussion that Maura had suggested a _real _date. Jane's immediate reaction had been to laugh but once Maura explained that despite all their time together over the past few months, they were now adopting a new role, a role as each other's partner. Maura's biggest worry was that she'd fall short in an emotional relationship as she'd never been engaged in one. She feared that she would be incapable of performing the role properly. Being a friend had never come easily either, and she'd always spend time scrutinizing her actions and words. However, being a friend to Jane came eerily naturally to Maura and she still hadn't put her finger on exactly why that was. Jane had quieted Maura's doubts by stating that perhaps the reason Maura had never felt the need or even urge to develop any kind of strong emotional attachment to anyone she'd met before was because she hadn't encountered the right person. She had quickly elaborated that she wasn't claiming that she was the right person but to at least be willing to put in the effort to see if maybe she was.

With Maura's candidness in regards to her fears, Jane had been spurred to share hers. To Maura's surprise, her fear wasn't being with a woman who had no history with other women but a history riddled with sexual encounters with men. No, Jane's fear was rooted in her unwillingness to ever be in a position of vulnerability again. She vowed to never allow herself to ever be in such a position that another individual could make her feel so emotionally raw and torn. Maura had struggled with this confession despite her inexperience with emotional relationships. She had always understood them at their core as a relinquishing of self to another person. In loving someone, you open yourself up to them; you reveal facets of your personality that nobody has ever been privy to before. There was definitely an element of vulnerability involved whenever you allow someone in and it alarmed Maura that Jane was so adamant about never being in that position again. Maura had weighed her options and had chosen her words carefully.

_ "I can't promise that I won't hurt you. I don't know the future and to promise you that would be a lie and I can't tell you a lie even if it would make this easier," she said, reaching out for Jane, placing her hands lightly on either side of her face and offering a warm smile. _

_ "I can, however, promise that I won't abuse your vulnerability. It's part of loving, not that I have much or any experience at that, but it's a two way street and you have to let me in, Jane… I am scared to my wit's end but I'm willing to let you in. I'm willing to do that because there's such a great potential for something amazing and at this point, I can't rationalize not taking that risk. I'm tired of the one night stands… and I can tell just in the way that you look at me that the possibilities for greatness, for happiness are there. I'm willing to accept that I may get hurt along the way because the upside of it, the good seems worth the gamble. I jump, you jump, right?"_

That conversation seemed as though it had taken place so long ago but in reality, Jane and Maura had shared their fears only a few days prior. When Maura had set about planning this date, she had pushed aside with ease what she liked to do on dates and focused on what she knew Jane would enjoy. This meant doing something outside of the conventional box. And that train of thought is what led them to Jamaica Plain on this snow afternoon. Just as Maura pulled off the Connector, Jane looked around and asked,

"Maur, what are we doing in Jamaica Plain?"

"Patience…" Maura hummed in reply as she pulled into a parking space along the street. She killed the engine and they both stepped out of the car. As they made their way up the street, turning left onto the next one, it suddenly hit Jane what Maura had planned for them.

"No way!" Jane exclaimed with excitement, reaching out and slapping Maura's arm gently.

"No way what, Jane?" Maura turned to look at her with a slight raise of a slender brow.

"Tell me you're just taking me by here to fool me because I don't think I could handle it if our first date is at the brewery!"

"It… isn't?" Maura said with a questioning tone, her face void of any expression.

They stopped in front of the brewery and Jane could barely contain her excitement. The brewery was one of those sites in Boston that she'd always taken for granted. She'd never gone on the tour because she kept telling herself that it wasn't going anywhere. The fact that Maura, of all people, thought of bringing her here made this date even better.

"I get it now. You asked my mother whether I'd gone on a tour yet. Right?"

Maura kept her eyes on the building as she answered playfully,

"Who ever said anything about a tour, Jane? I just thought it would be nice to walk this way and look at the architecture."

Jane narrowed her eyes at the blonde, noticing how her cheeks were flushed red. The taller woman leaned in and whispered in the other's ear,

"Liar."

Maura sharply sucked in air as Jane's warm breath tickled her ear and caused a shiver to travel up her spine. Her tongue poked out as she licked her lips and breathed out slowly. She hated yet delighted in the fact that Jane could read her so well.

"Yes, fine. We are going on a tour of the brewery. We should head in or we're going to miss the next one."

Jane dipped her head, burrowing her nose in the crook of Maura's neck. She placed feather light kisses to Maura's cool skin as she reached down and took the smaller woman's hand in hers.

"You're amazing."

She slowly intertwined her fingers with Maura's, enjoying the soft feel of her skin under her fingertips. She kissed Maura's cheek, the feel of her pink skin warm to her lips, before pulling away and leading them to the entrance.

* * *

"Where are you whisking me off to next?" Jane pulled Maura close as they walked back to the car.

"Hmmm, I hadn't thought that far ahead. I planned on losing you during the tour."

Jane's mouth dropped open as she pretended to be shocked by her words and looked at Maura who was struggling to keep a straight face.

"Oooh, you can't get rid of me that easily," she teased with an eyebrow wiggle which made Maura laugh.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Maura asked earnestly, worried that her plan for a non conventional date may have been a bust.

"Are you kidding me? I had a blast. How can anyone not enjoy themselves with free beer samples?"

Maura looked over to Jane, and the taller woman could see a playful twinkle in the other's eyes.

"I would think recovering alcoholics wouldn't."

"You make a good point but then I'd say a brewery is really no place for them to visit. Did you have fun?"

Just as they reached the car, Maura stopped and turned to face Jane,

"Of course. I've only ever had the opportunity to read about the brewing process of beer. It's quite fascinating."

Jane stepped up close to Maura, and wondered whether the concept of personal space had ever really existed between the two. It seemed non-existent. Jane looked down and watched as Maura's eyes lazily made their way to hers.

"In a few months, you'll remember the whole brewing process. Me? I'll remember that I liked the second sample I tested the most."

Maura's head tilted slightly to the side as she asked,

"That's all you'll remember?"

Jane took a step forward, forcing Maura back against her car.

"Hmm, no," she murmured against Maura's lips before kissing the corner of her lips, "I'll remember the girl that brought me to the brewery."

Maura leaned up and lightly nipped at Jane's lower lip before smiling,

"You better."

If Maura had ever had any doubts on whether being with Jane would prove difficult, they had long dissipated. Being with Jane, at least up until this point, felt just as natural as any other first date. Any other first date Maura had been on which generally involved a lot of flirting. Jane exuded a certain confidence that Maura believed she wasn't even aware of; this put her at ease and for once, the flirtatious side of Maura came about naturally. She breathed in deeply as Jane's warm body gently pressed up against hers, effectively pinning her against the car.

"Or else what?"

Jane husked, resting her hands against the car on either side of Maura. Maura mentally cursed herself as she fought to extinguish her burning libido. It was as if Jane knew that she had this effect on her and was purposely keeping close proximity and speaking in low tones to get her riled up. It was very unlike Maura to find herself in this compromising position. She was usually the flirt who played coy and teased. She generally had men eating out of the palm of her hand. She rarely ever found herself scrambling for something to say and powerless. This was far too amusing to end any time soon but the night chill was beginning to seep through her coat and she yearned for the heat of her car. She rashly decided that one quick taste of her own medicine for Jane wouldn't hurt anyone. She slowly curled her arms around Jane's shoulders, leaned up and barely grazed her lips against Jane's. When she pulled back, Jane immediately pressed forward and Maura knew that in that moment, she had her. Her tongue peeked out and pressed against Jane's bottom lip. Jane drew in a shaky breath as she ceded access to the probing tongue. Her own tongue pushed lightly yet demandingly against Maura's. The kiss was painfully slow and exploratory. The kind that caused a dull ache to grow in Jane's abdomen and a warmth to emanate in her groin. She pressed a little more forcefully, eliciting a soft whimper from Maura who was losing herself in the taste of Jane. She tasted of the beer she'd just consumed and Maura sought to savor more of her. She wantonly reached out, pulling Jane flush against her, needing to feel her.

Just as Jane's hands found her hips, as if the touch shook her back to reality, Maura abruptly pulled away, breathing heavily as she ducked out of Jane's grasp and hurriedly rushed to the driver's side. Jane stood there with a blank look on her face, eyes glazed as she processed what had just happened. Maura looked over to her and tried to steady her breaths which betrayed her cool exposure by materializing in the night air as puffs of white.

"Or else… no more of that," she gushed, bracing herself against her door as she fumbled for her keys. She felt like an out of control teenage girl. She knew better. She knew how to control herself, especially in public! If Jane had just happened to be someone that Maura found herself attracted to on a simple physical level, she would waste no time at ravaging her body and allowing her the same gratitude but she wasn't. Maura felt a deeper connection, one that had made itself clear to her before any physical attraction surfaced consciously. And because of that, she owed it to herself to push her sexual desires into the dark. She wouldn't allow it to cloud her judgment or dictate her actions. Emotions first, she'd promised herself.

Jane struggled to stop herself from smirking as she watched how discomposed Maura was. For a moment, she'd been miffed but now she was just oddly proud. Proud that she could bring Maura to such a state of disarray.

"You going to be okay to drive, Maur?" she asked teasingly.

Maura shot her a look and Jane broke down, no longer able to fight off the grin. Maura's eyes became small slits that focused on Jane.

"This isn't funny, Jane," she blew out.

"It kinda is…"

Maura finally found her keys and unlocked the doors with the key remote.

"Just a little," Jane shot as she slipped into the passenger seat. She was soon joined by Maura as she slinked into the driver's seat. She cranked the ignition and allowed the car to idle for a few minutes. She absentmindedly gripped and released the steering wheel before angling herself in her seat to look at Jane.

"This is difficult for me… I'm not the dating type, and,"

"I know," Jane cut in, suddenly serious as she reached out and covered one of Maura's hands with her own.

"My dates all conclude with the walk of shame even though I'm not ashamed but… that's it. There's no second date," she breathed in deeply and sighed, "What I'm trying to say is that I don't want that with you and I'm finding it difficult to ignore my libido."

"Can't talk it down with some stats, can ya?" Jane joked, earning a small smile from Maura.

She shook her, averting her gaze and staring at logo crested in the center of the steering wheel. Jane pulled Maura's hand gently, and kissed the top of it lightly. A small nervous laugh escaping her lips as she withdrew.

"So, Miss with the uncontrollable libido, what's next?"

Maura gasped and smacked Jane's hand away,

"Chinese at my place but I'm not so sure I want you there anymore."

She feigned hurt, looking out the window. Had anyone else attempted that with her, Maura would not be able to overlook it so easily. However, as usual, what would usually be insulting coming from just about anyone, Maura could accept as playful banter from Jane. It was refreshing not to always have to wonder whether someone was being serious or sarcastic. For the majority of the time, Jane was sarcastic and playful.

"C'mon, Maur!" Jane pleaded and Maura pretended to cave and offered a smile,

"Fine. Chinese at my place."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ The conclusion of the first date.

* * *

**_A/N:_ **It seems, as usual, this story has begun to write itself. I generally always like to have a good sense of where I am going with a story but sometimes, that's out of the writer's hands. You'd think that being the author gives you sole control over the outcome but I learnt early on in my writing adventures that this isn't necessarily the case. With that said, I do know the ultimate path I want this story. How I am going to get there isn't so clear.

So, all that to say, please bare with me as I write off the cuff and if the time between updates begins to get longer, I apologize. I am trying to get updates up at least every two days. I hate to have any of you waiting.

Anyways, thank you for your continuing reviews. I appreciate them and I hope you continue to leave them and continue to enjoy this story.

* * *

"Are you sure I can't help?" Jane asked midway to settling herself down on Maura's couch before stopping herself, noticing the small table in the kitchen, big enough for just two. Maura looked over her shoulder as she deftly scooped a mixture of noodles from various cartons onto two plates.

"No, no. You sit," she replied before turning around and walking over to Jane who had quickly sat herself at the table. Maura smiled and handed her a plate.

"Chopsticks or fork?" she asked with a tilt of her head, holding out both in front of her. Jane reached out for the chopsticks,

"Chopsticks are fine, thanks."

Jane shifted a little in her seat, getting comfortable as she waited for Maura to join her. Maura placed her plate down on the table, opposite of Jane, before asking,

"Would you like anything to drink?"

She wandered over to her fridge, opening the door and peeking inside.

"I have water, wine, red and white, beer?"

Jane perked up at the mention of beer. Jane knew very well that beer was usually not something that Maura kept stocked in the fridge. She raised a curious brow as the blonde waited patiently at the refrigerator for an answer.

"Beer… but since when do you have beer, Maur?"

Jane began to push around some noodles with her chopsticks as Maura pulled out a bottle of beer and a bottle of white wine, placing the latter on the counter. She rummaged through one of the kitchen drawers for a bottle opener and once she had found it, cracked open the beer bottle before placing it on the table next to Jane. She offered a slight shrug of her shoulders as she returned to the counter to pour herself a glass of wine.

"I just thought it would be considerate…"

She returned the bottle of wine to the fridge, picked up both wine glass and plate, before sliding into her seat in front of Jane. Jane fingered the beer bottle, rotating it, a smile growing on her lips as she recognized the label. It was her beer. When had Maura even taken the time to notice? They'd only ever gone to a pub once or twice. She took a slow swig from the cold malt and smiled,

"Thank you."

Maura brought the wine glass to her lips, pausing for a moment to enjoy the scent of the liquid before sipping it. In reply, she offered Jane a warm smile and the brunette needed no words to know what Maura was 'saying'.

Maura picked up her chopsticks, balancing them between her thumb and fingers before beginning to eat. She paused after savouring her first few bites of food before stating,

"Did you know that the earliest pair of chopsticks to have been excavated was made of bronze? They were found at the Ruins of Yin and it is said they date back to one thousand two-hundred BCE."

Jane looked up from her plate.

"BCE?"

"Before the common era."

"Of course."

Undeterred by the hint of sarcasm Maura picked up from Jane, she continued,

"Chopsticks started surfacing during the Hang Dynasty but it wasn't until the Ming Dynasty that they were commonly used as both serving and eating utensils."

Jane looked down at the chopsticks she held in her hand before smiling up at Maura,

"I wonder what took them so long to figure out how useful two little pieces of wood could be."

"Jane…" Maura sighed. Her name rang like music to Jane's ears. She ignored the hazel eyes drilling into her from across the table and scooped a few bites of noodle into her mouth, washing it all down with a sip of beer. Eventually, chestnut eyes locked onto hazel ones. Jane was always surprised by the various colours she would find in Maura's eyes depending on the day, her mood, the shades of the shirt she wore. Tonight, the ring of gold around her irises was strongly prominent, muting the green that flecked out further from the center. The very green that came to life whenever Maura's emotions flared. Whether she was bubbling with happiness or saddened, the green always seemed at its most intense whenever her emotions were at either end of the spectrum.

"You are stunning. You know that, right? I love that you know something about pretty much everything," Jane expressed with a candor that shook Maura. Maura fumbled for the appropriate response but came up empty. Thank you didn't encompass what she wished to convey. Maura knew how intimidating academics and overly knowledgeable individuals were to Jane and the fact that Jane found these very traits within Maura stunning left her speechless.

"Makes me wonder what size your brain is to retain all that information," Jane smirked, falling back on humour as she noticed the red creep across Maura's cheeks.

"Approximately three pounds… eleven hundred and thirty cubic centimeters. I assure you, it's no bigger than yours."

Jane chuckled as she shook her head and hummed 'mmhmm' as she returned to her food. They silently continued eating, occasionally casting a glance at each other. Jane had never been a fan of silences because they had always been awkward, a sign of repressed anger, or unspoken truths, or hidden feelings. Silences had a negative connotation for her. Silence was rarely found in the Rizzoli household. Yet she found herself taking pleasure in this silence. She was able to enjoy it for what it was – a comfortable silence between two contented individuals. She was reassured with the knowledge that on her part, there were no unspoken truths bubbling beneath the surface or any repressed emotions.

They had done this before, shared a meal, sat in silence over food or coffee. In some ways, it was as if they had been dating without either of them acknowledging it. Jane smiled with the memory of a few of those moments flashing in her mind as she watched Maura adeptly capture a small piece of broccoli between her chopsticks and quickly bringing it to her mouth. She shifted in her seat as she delicately placed her chopsticks across her plate and crossed her legs. In doing so, she accidentally brushed her foot up Jane's leg. They both stiffened and stopped mid-motion, eyes slowly seeking out the other. A simple, innocent and accidental touch brought the pleasant silence to a halt as Jane cleared her throat.

"So…"

She sipped her beer, gently returning the bottle back to the table top without a sound. She started to move her thumb over the edge of the label which had begun to peel back due to the condensation on the exterior of the glass. She looked up to Maura who had a pleased look on her face and Jane couldn't quite grasp why. Was she content with the meal? With the innocent contact? With Jane?

"Yes, Jane?"

Jane didn't have anything to say. She had just needed a distraction from the warm unintentional touch under the table. What do two people who've spent so much time together of the past few months discuss? Everything seemed so trivial to Jane. The weather was definitely not a topic she'd ever fall back on. She couldn't discuss sports because she knew that Maura didn't follow them. School was completely off topic. What was left? Jane went down the checklist in her head and landed on the one topic that she knew needed to be avoided at this point. She was burning to ask the questions, to dig further, to really understand Maura and her past but it wasn't appropriate dinner conversation, especially on the first date. She didn't want to come off as an overly eager, and a potentially jealous woman.

"This is usually when I'd turn on the Rizzoli charm and try to get you to reveal something about yourself but… I feel as though, at this point, I have a firm grasp as to who Maura Isles is," Jane blurted out without any thought as she continued to meticulously peel the label off the bottle, leaving no trace of any adhesive or paper.

"Rizzoli charm?"

Maura's eyes were fixated on Jane as she rolled the stem of her wine glass between her index and thumb. The way in which she spoke caused Jane to feel warm all over. She felt Maura's toes wiggle against her leg and attempted to casually push back from the table to stand, not wanting for her sudden withdrawal to come off as unwanted physical contact. She picked up her own plate before motioning to Maura's to ensure she was also finished. Maura offered a small dip of her chin as she finished her wine. Jane stepped out from behind the table, eliminated the space between them as she bent over to pick up the plate, an unnecessary gesture, and whispered in Maura's ear.

"On second thought… I don't think you're ready for it."

Maura followed the tall brunette with her eyes as she walked to the sink and placed the dishes down with a light clang.

"Is that so?" she asked in a dreamlike haze that escaped her as she took stock of Jane's figure. She hadn't granted herself the opportunity to really soak in the chosen pieces of clothing earlier but now, in the privacy of her own home, she allowed herself to wordlessly undress the other woman with her eyes. Beneath the soft grey cotton t-shirt that hugged Jane in all the right places, Maura could trace the outline of smooth strong shoulders, the toned biceps and triceps of her upper arms, the soft curve of her lower back. Maura was all too well accustomed with Jane's body. She often scrutinized individual's posture and structure subconsciously when meeting them. It was never something she consciously chose to take note of and she rarely admitted to it either.

"Maur?"

Unless she was caught staring that is.

"Earth to Maur!" Jane waved her hand in front of her and watched as Maura blinked out of her daze, leaning back slightly in her chair before pulling herself upright.

"What were you thinking about?"

Maura went to sip her wine only to realize that she'd already finished it off and frowned at the empty glass. She looked back to Jane and admitted flatly,

"I was admiring your musculature."

"Oh…"

That was certainly not the answer Jane had expected. Anything but a comment about her musculature. Coming from Maura, however, she learnt early on that compliments were usually wrapped in an scientific blanket and she had to unravel them to truly value them. Maura stood up and brought her empty glass to the counter before reaching out and gently touching the back of Jane's shoulder, trailing her fingers to each muscle as she spoke,

"Your trapezii and deltoids…"

Nimble fingers wrapped around her upper arm,

"And your triceps and biceps."

This Jane immediately recognized as Maura's odd yet unexplainably efficient flirting. It granted her an excuse to run her hands over Jane's body and to draw in closer. If Jane knew more about anatomy, she would definitely attempt it herself considering how effective it was on her.

"You could probably read _Gray's Anatomy_ and I'd be Jell-o in your palm," Jane confessed before she could stop herself. Verbal diarrhea. There it was again. It was the low, soft timbre to Maura's voice whenever she did that which reduced Jane's insides to putty. Maura lightly laughed, leaning in to place a warm, lingering kiss to Jane's jaw.

"Thank you."

Before Jane had the chance to say or do anything, Maura had disappeared from her side and had curled up on the couch. Jane picked up her beer from the table looking over to Maura,

"Would you like more wine?"

"That would be lovely."

Jane rested her beer on the counter as she reached into the refrigerator, pulling out the wine. As she went about the business of re-opening and pouring some wine, it occurred to her that Maura had picked her up and they had come straight from the brewery. She placed the wine back into the fridge and joined Maura on the couch. She was about to hand Maura her wine but at the last minute, pulled it away, just far enough where the blonde couldn't reach.

"How am I getting back?"

Maura attempted to reach for the glass one more time before playfully looking at Jane,

"Who said you are going back home tonight?"

Jane's brows knotted as she allowed the statement to sink in.

"I don't have anything to sleep in… or clothes for tomorrow… or a toothbrush."

Maura straightened up and was finally able to retrieve the wine glass from Jane's hand. She took a sip and smiled against the rim of the glass,

"Bedroom."

Maura watched as Jane looked over to her bedroom door.

"What about it?"

Jane had tried her hardest to not even think about the bedroom. Up until that very moment, the bedroom was non-existent. As far as she was concerned, Maura slept on this very couch. She had to stop her mind from wandering to the room that Maura had just verbally acknowledged did indeed exist.

"Go look," Maura encouraged with a nod towards the room.

Jane rapidly retrieved a coaster and squarely placed her beer on top of it before quickly covering the distance from the couch to the bedroom in a few strides. Looking in, she found one of her gym bags on the floor at the end of the bed. She shot a glance over her shoulder at Maura who was happily sipping her wine.

"Is that…?"

When she wasn't given any answer, she crouched down next to the bag, unzipped it and found a pair of her pajama boxers, an old softball t-shirt from a few years ago that she had since started sleeping in, and some fresh day clothes. She straightened up and walked back into the living room, pointing to the inside of the room.

"That's my stuff in that bag. How did you…"

And it dawned on her.

"My mother!"

Maura kept her eyes on a spot on the couch as she delicately fingered the stem of her wine glass. Yes, she'd contacted Angela in order to ask whether she could put together some of Jane's belongings and Maura had willingly explained that it was in case she spent the night. Angela had politely accepted as much information as Maura would dilvuge and prodded no further. Maura had been hesitant about it as Jane's reaction could go either way but she had decided to go through with it. She wanted to ensure that if Jane were to entertain the idea of spending the night, she'd have her own clothes. Little comforts.

"Is it too much?" Maura asked, her eyes flitting to Jane and searching for any indication. "It's too much, isn't it?" she exclaimed, placing her wine glass down on the coffee table in front of her as she stood to face Jane.

"I'm sorry… boundaries when it comes to privacy are blurred."

Jane stood in awe. She wasn't mad, or shocked. She was in awe because the individual who stood in front of her had claimed to not know the first thing about being in a relationship beyond the physical realms and yet she'd orchestrated a first date that demonstrated the complete opposite. She reached out and grabbed Maura's hands.

"Maur, it's fine. I'm just… I don't know. You sure you've never done this before?" Jane joked, not quite sure how to cope with all the overwhelming feelings surfacing. All at once, she wanted to laugh, to run, to hug Maura, to cry even.

"Unless my memories have somehow been repressed, yes, I'm quite sure. Are you sure it's all right? I didn't want to seem overbearing… but I wanted the option to be there if you considered staying over which seems rather confident of me in retrospect. I'm sorry, Jane."

Jane took a moment to mentally step back from the situation which allowed for her to process what she was trying to make sense of in her mind. Had anyone else pulled something like this on the first date, she'd be long gone. She would have bolted. But this was Maura and Jane knew her thanks to the painful three months of unrequited foreplay they would both look back upon and always refer to as their _friendship_. Jane knew that despite coming off cold to others when it came to those that she allowed inside, Maura could be extremely warm and compassionate. Jane was seeing this side of her now. Maura had gone out of her way to ensure that Jane's needs were met, and that if she were to spend the night, she'd be comfortable. This whole afternoon and evening was Maura's subtle way of showing to Jane that she could think of others, that in this relationship, she could weigh the importance of what mattered to Jane.

As Jane allowed for that realization to wash over her, both hands reached out and gently cupped Maura's face. Pulling her close, her lips found Maura's in a tender embrace.

"Don't ever be sorry… not for that," she mumbled against Maura's lips.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ The holidays bring about some surprising words and feelings as well as unexpected events.

* * *

**A/N:** I am so sorry that this update has taken longer than most. I was chaperoning an event this weekend and I was away from my computer. I had just about finished this update Friday morning but didn't quite complete it and revise it to my liking. I hope to have another update in the next day for you guys as compensation. I just need to rest and get a good night's sleep as I haven't gotten that in over 30+ hours. I hope you guys enjoy and again, sorry for the delay and thank you for all the comments!

* * *

Jane sat in her now cold car, silently beating herself up for not having taken Maura up on her offer. It was too late now to take it back, to say yes instead of no. Of course Jane Rizzoli would say no if someone were to suggest for her to join them in Europe for the holidays. God forbid she would allow someone to chink her armor, bruise her ego. Where did her that land her? Alone in her car at Logan Airport.

Maura had only brought up the fact that she'd be away over the holidays a few days ago and the days since had been thick with unspoken words and awkwardness. Jane frowned as she searched her pockets for her keys, numb fingers fumbling as she finally found them. She clumsily pushed the key into the ignition and started the car. Shivering as she waited for the engine to warm, she was left alone with nothing but her thoughts. She closed her eyes tightly as she shoved her head back into the headrest, the memories of the past few days taking over her.

_ "What do you mean you're going to Marseille for the holidays? Did you just find out about this?" Jane asked vehemently, taken aback by Maura's words. _

_She watched as Maura calmly kept her composure despite Jane's sudden outburst and coolly replied, _

_ "My parents are vacationing in Marseille over the holidays and invited me to join them." _

_ "The same parents who I've never met? The mother who stood you up on your birthday? Those parents?" _

_Maura winced at the sting in Jane's words and even for Jane, her hardness came as a surprise. She was unsure as to where this anger stemmed from. Was she mad that Maura hadn't told her sooner? Was she upset that she would be gone for the holidays and not spending it with Jane and her family? Was she jealous? _

_ "You could come with me," Maura whispered as she clasped her hands together. Her thumbs fidgeting as she searched Jane's face. _

_ "I could come with you," Jane mockingly repeated as she briskly sat down on the couch, her head falling to her hands. She breathed in deeply, trying to get her emotions in check. Silence reigned over them as neither dared to speak next. Jane knew that she was overreacting and being childish about the situation but couldn't help her actions or words. So what? It's just Christmas and New Years. She isn't going away forever. Get over yourself, Rizzoli. She bit her bottom lip as she kept her eyes glued to the spot between her two feet. _

_Maura sighed as she scanned her own living room. Her eyes finally returning and resting on Jane. She hesitantly reached out and placed a delicate hand on Jane's thigh, _

_ "You could. I would love for you to join me," she said soothingly, hoping that her calm demeanor would influence Jane's. She didn't understand where this unfounded anger came from and couldn't rationalize why Jane was mocking her suggestion. The one thing she was certain of was that yelling in return would help no one. Despite the confusion dwelling on the inside, Maura knew that keeping a leveled head was the only way about it. She would not unravel because of a harsh tone and sharp words. _

_Jane's shoulders slumped as she puffed out air._

_ "I couldn't let you do that… Flights to Europe don't come cheap and I sure as hell can't afford one." _

_Maura's fingers curled under Jane's chin, forcing her to bring her eyes up to look at her. Maura was stricken by the look of absolute dejection plastered across Jane's features. It was the first time that the differences in their world really struck Jane. She had always been able to brush off the elegant loft, the nice car, the designer clothes that Maura looked so amazing in. Those were little things. They didn't bother her. However, the fact that Maura could fly out to Europe on a whim and offer Jane the same luxury stung her. She was suddenly and painfully reminded that she was the daughter of a plumber and a stay at home mother and that the only reason she was at BCU was because of a scholarship. _

_ "Jane…" Maura began, not sure how to convince the brunette that it really wasn't a big deal and that her company meant more than anything to her. _

_ "Maur, just… just don't. I know your offer means well but… I can't accept it." _

_What Jane was really against was being catapulted into Maura's world, the world she grew up in, the world her parents inhabited on a daily basis. If she were to accept Maura's offer and go to Marseille for the holidays, she'd be forced to accept all the ways in which their worlds were miles apart. It wouldn't be so easy to simply shrug off the clothes, the car, the loft. Not to mention that her mother would have a conniption if Jane missed out on the Rizzoli Christmas. _

Jane kept revisiting that moment in her mind until warm air blew out from the car's vents. She quickly fanned her fingers out in front of the vents and waited until she regained the sensation in her extremities. She smiled hearing Maura's voice from earlier reprimanding her for not having worn gloves. She breathed in deeply as she allowed for the weight of the situation to wash over her. With each breath, she could still smell Maura's lingering perfume on her jacket from the tight embrace that took place only a half an hour ago. She could still taste the blonde's lips on hers. She sighed with the painful realization that the next two weeks would be absolute agony and she had nobody to blame but herself. Sooner or later, she would have to come to terms with the fact that Maura lived a more extravagant life than she ever could imagine. Not only that but she would also have to accept that she couldn't dodge meeting her parents forever. She could try but that would certainly put a strain on their relationship.

Jane had heard stories about Maura's parents, both good and bad. Maura tended to concentrate on the good memories and those she willingly shared with Jane. The painful memories Maura often elaborately dodged discussing them at length or expertly veered the conversation away from the topic. Jane had been able to pull a few out of her over the past few months with diligence, patience and care. The few that had been shared, had only been shared recently in the middle of the night when Jane found herself flush to Maura's back, her nose buried in the crook of her shoulder and her arm wrapped around Maura's slim waist. Perhaps it was the comfort brought by the way their bodies so seamlessly fit together that provided Maura with the confidence and security to share those memories. Perhaps it was the lateness of the hour and maybe Maura thought that Jane would only half listen in her sleepy daze. Regardless of the hour, or how heavy her eyelids had felt, Jane had always listened and had hung on to every word. Jane knew that despite the negligence on behalf of her parents, Maura still valued their presence in her life, no matter how fleeting it was.

She cursed herself once more as she violently pulled the car into drive and screeched out of the parking lot. She could be waiting inside with Maura to board a flight to France at this very moment but she chose to let her fears and pride get in the way. She could have dealt with her mother's guilt trip. She could have worked her parents over. Why had she been so pigheaded? She resolved to stop beating herself over her callow behaviour. It was done. She couldn't change it. She had to deal with the cards she was dealt now.

* * *

Christmas morning at the Rizzoli house was always a big to-do. Angela always managed to get up before the kids, to their surprise, and make a big breakfast for them. This Christmas was no different. Jane tossed in her bed as she heard the footsteps of her family above. She pulled her pillow over her head and groaned. She wasn't feeling particularly festive this year. It had been only three days since she dropped Maura off at the airport and she was still going over the past week or so in her head. She couldn't shake it. Despite Maura being her cool and collected self, Jane knew that her words, despite not having been meant, and her attitude must have hurt her.

"Janie! Wake up! Breakfast is ready!"

Jane grumbled as she pulled herself out of bed, blindly searching her bedside table for an elastic to throw her hair into a ponytail. She sleepily trudged up the stairs, tripping a few times as she tied her hair up. As soon as she pushed open her door, the aroma of her mother's cooking invaded her nostrils and she automatically felt relaxed. The muscles in her shoulders slacked and she felt her resolve melt away. She rubbed her face roughly, trying to scrub the sleep away. She had yet to fully step into the kitchen when Frank greeted her with a cup of coffee and a kiss to the forehead,

"Merry Christmas, Janie."

She took a sip of the coffee, grateful for the dark smooth liquid.

"Mornin', pop. Merry Christmas," she smiled against the lip of the cup.

She was ushered to the dining room table by Angela and forced by the shoulders to sit down. Jane did not fight this as she often would and simply allowed her mother to give her a big warm hug. Despite her feelings only five minutes ago, she rejoiced in the love she felt permeate through her mother's strong hold. She allowed herself to momentarily soak it all in.

"Merry Christmas, ma."

Her parents immediately joined her at the table and even though most Christmas breakfasts played out like this, there was an unusual jovialness to it all this time. Jane looked between the two of them suspiciously before looking around the room.

"Frankie not here yet?"

"Oh, he's on his way. He said we could start without him. He's not far," Angela instructed as she piled some pancakes onto her plate.

"Oooh… kaay," Jane stretched out her reply. There was definitely something going on. Her mother was never this calm when any of them were late.

"Everything okay?" Jane asked as she plated some eggs, a few small pancakes and toast onto her plate.

"Why wouldn't anything be okay?" Angela retorted, cutting up her pancakes with precision before drowning them in a stream of maple syrup.

Jane shrugged her off as she bit off a piece of toast. Her eyes wandered back to Frank who was characteristically quiet. Despite his silence, Jane always knew he had a lot to say. He just said it differently. His thoughts were expressed through his eyes, or his mannerisms. He may not speak a lot but he still _says_ a lot. It had always come down to decoding.

He nursed his cup of coffee for a few minutes after plating some food but he didn't touch it just yet. He reached under his plate and pulled out a bright red envelope surely containing a card of some kind and gently placed it on the table next to Jane's arm. Jane's eyes dropped to the card as she looked up.

"What's that?"

Her parents said nothing for the first few seconds.

"I know it's not how we usually do it but it's your Christmas present, Janie, from the whole family," Angela calmly explained.

Jane suspiciously eyed the envelope as if it were about to burst into flames. She quickly wiped her hands on a nearby napkin before picking up the envelope to open it. Before she did, she cast one last look to both her parents.

"Shouldn't I wait for Frankie?"

"No, no, go ahead. He knows. He won't mind," Angela urged.

Jane carefully opened the envelope and pulled out a regular run of the mill Christmas card. She opened the card and a smaller longer envelope slipped into her lap. She paid it no direct attention as her mother had always taught her to read the card before looking at any of its contents. The inside contained the usual Christmas greetings and a little note from her parents expressing how proud they were of her and wishing her a merry Christmas. She placed the card down on the table before finally picking up the smaller envelope that had fallen into her lap. Immediately, she felt her heart race as her fingers fumbled over the lip of the envelope. She knew what this was yet she couldn't bring herself to believe it. She couldn't comprehend how her parents had managed it. Even before she bothered to open it, she struggled to contain the overwhelming knot developing in her throat and fought back the prickle of tears threatening her eyes.

"You guys shouldn't have. How… how did you even afford this?"

Her voice was shaky and she knew that if she were to look up from the envelope, her composed exterior would crumble away. As soon as she looked into her parents' faces, she would be lost. She knew she would find endlessly loving gazes looking back at her.

Her parents remained silent, occasionally she'd hear a coffee cup being lifted, sipped and put down again. She took in an unsteady breath as she finally allowed herself to open the envelope. In her hands, she held a return trip to Marseille. Her eyes quickly read the information. Her head shot up and she quickly looked at both her parents,

"This leaves today! I can't leave today! I can't take this."

"You, young lady, are going. I've had enough of you moppin' around this house and you deserve it," Angela forcefully said with a point of her finger. Despite the serious tone in her voice, Jane could still pick up hints of softness in her mother's words.

"But how? How did you afford this? This is too much," Jane still struggled with the amount this must have cost, especially so last minute.

"It doesn't matter. Just accept it and stop worrying," Angela pressed on as she gingerly speared a few pieces of pancake with the tip of her fork.

"You have some packing to do," Frank teased as he smiled, his eyes sparkling with delight.

Jane sat in her seat, speechless as her parents went about the business of finishing their breakfasts as if nothing had happened. As if they hadn't just gifted a trip to Marseille, a trip for her to see Maura, for the holidays. She jumped out of her seat and enthusiastically hopped over to her mother's side of the table and gave her a tight hug. She did the same for her father.

"Thank you. I don't know what to say… I'm just… thank you!"

"Just go be happy!" Angela eagerly exclaimed.

Jane skidded to the basement door before turning about wildly and running back to the dining table. She'd forgotten about her food. She hungrily shoveled a few mouthfuls of scrambled egg and grabbed a piece of toast.

"I'll be back," she shouted over her shoulder as she disappeared back down the hallway again.

She had to make a phone call but first she needed to find the hotel number that Maura had scribbled onto a piece of paper. As she finished off her piece of toast, Jane rummaged about her room for the piece of paper with Maura's crisp handwriting. After a few minutes, some overturn books, and some inverted pockets, she finally found it. She wasted no time in punching in the number but was immediately greeted with the error message in regards to international calls. She'd forgotten to include the country code and cursed as she punched in the numbers anew. She paced her room as she waited for someone from the reception desk to pick up.

"_Bon après-mini, Le Petit Nice Passedat, Marco a l'appareil, comment puis-je vous aider?_ (Good afternoon, Le Petit Nice Passedat, Marco speaking, how may I be of service?)"

Jane was shocked as the foreign language lingered in her ears.

"Ahh, Constance Isles' room, please."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ Jane surprises Maura in Marseille.

* * *

The luggage carousel made its rounds as Jane sleepily stood to the side, waiting to catch a glimpse of her suitcase. Eleven hours of traveling and she was spent. She looked down to her watch which unfortunately was still on Eastern Standard Time, a painful reminder that it was four in the morning back home. She groaned and rubbed her face with both hands before fixing her watch to local time. In her conversation with Constance, she had chosen her words carefully, unsure of exactly how much information Maura had disclosed to her mother about their relationship. Jane played it safe and chose the good friend route and if Constance knew otherwise, she had not let on of such over the phone. Jane had been surprised at how willing Constance was to play along with her plan to surprise Maura. She'd explained just how happy she was that Maura had such a good friend; that it was refreshing to know that she wasn't alone in Boston and that she was finally socializing.

Jane finally spotted her suitcase, walked up to the carousel as it neared her and grabbed it. She had been told that she'd be met at the airport and taken to the hotel they were staying at. With luggage rolling behind her, Jane sluggishly made her way towards customs. Her layover and interactions with the custom officers in Rome had been easy; her sharp Italian had guaranteed a smooth interaction. She hoped that getting through French customs proved to be as seamless.

Twenty minutes later, Jane found herself searching for the individual who was meeting her at the airport. She spotted a well dressed gentleman holding up a sign with her last name and approached him. She offered up the best smile she could muster and introduced herself,

"Hi, I'm Jane Rizzoli."

She extended her hand out and shook his in return.

"I hope your flight went well," he spoke in heavily accented English.

"As well as one would hope," Jane replied. He reached out to take the luggage handle from her and she gently brushed him off,

"That's okay, I can lug it along. Thank you."

He curtly nodded before motioning for her to follow him. He escorted her out of the airport and to a parked town car just outside at the arrivals gate. He hurriedly stowed her luggage into the trunk before opening the side door for her to get in.

"The drive is about half an hour depending on the roads. Make yourself comfortable," he instructed as she slid into the back seat.

"Bonjour, Jane," came a voice to her right as the driver closed her door gently. Jane jumped, her hand flying to her chest as she cursed under her breath. She looked over to her left and saw the older woman sitting next to her.

"I'm Maura's mother. We spoke over the phone," she explained and Jane was momentarily jarred by not seeing the resemblance but suddenly remembered that Maura was adopted. The lack of sleep was getting to her. She had no idea how she was going to make it through the day to get her internal clock on France time. She rapidly scrutinized Constance, noticing her perfectly manicured nails, her fashionable up do with not a stray hair in sight.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you but I thought I'd accompany Maurice in welcoming you at the airport. I hope that's all right," she explained in an even paced manner.

Jane had always wondered if Maura was just a well spoken and calm individual by nature. Now she knew that this trait, she inherited from her mother even if they were not biologically related.

"No, no. That's fine. I'm just exhausted. I've never flown anywhere this far before."

The strain of the flight weighed down on her like a heavy blanket now that she was sitting again. It always amazed her how traveling took so much out of her. After all, all that she did was sit on a plane. There was no physical exertion involved, no manual labour, just sitting and yet she felt as if she'd ran a marathon. She sank into the comfortable back seat of the car and looked out the window as the driver maneuvered them onto _l'Autoroute du Soleil _from what Jane could decipher off the street sign.

"Did you have any layovers?" Constance asked.

Jane pulled her eyes away from the scenery whipping by them and fixed her gaze on Constance. In so many ways, Constance already reminded her of Maura. The way in which she sat straight, the way she held her hands in her lap, the way she crossed her legs. It was interesting to say the least because despite these small mannerisms, Maura, in Jane's perspective, turned out to be nothing like her mother.

"Only one in Rome. It wasn't very long though, only an hour or so."

"That's good. Long layovers can make the entire journey such a miserable experience."

Jane hummed in agreement even though she couldn't really speak from experience. Most of her traveling had been done crammed in the back of her parents' station wagon sandwiched between Tommy and Frankie. Jane was soon lost to her own memories and no other questions came from the woman sitting beside her. Her eyelids felt leaded as they drove along the coast. The Mediterranean Sea stretched out as far as she could see to her right and she wished that she weren't so exhausted to enjoy the magnitude and beauty of it. She made a mental note to admire it on the way back to the airport in a week.

Just as the driver had predicted, half an hour after leaving the airport, he pulled into the front unloading zone of the hotel. Jane stepped out once the car was parked and looked around in absolute awe. The hotel sat right on the coast with the Mediterranean behind it. If her geography served her well, Les Isles were just discernible in the distance. She felt a gentle hand at her elbow, pulling her away from the car,

"Let's get you checked-in."

Jane spun around and saw that Constance was now at her side.

"Maura's not here, right? You said she'd most likely be out."

Constance smiled, or what Jane assumed could be a smile, as they walked into the lobby and up to the concierge's desk.

"She left just a few minutes before we left for the airport. She's visiting the basilica Notre-Dame de la Garde. She'll be back later, of course."

"Knowing Maur, she'll be there all day," she chuckled at her own words. They only got a tight lipped nod from Constance who quickly turned her attention to the concierge once he acknowledged their presence at the front desk.

"Bonjour…" she began and Jane tuned out their conversation as she only understood 'Jane Rizzoli', and 'Maura Isles'. After fifteen minutes or so, some chuckling between the two, a bit of typing on the concierge's behalf and an exchange of a key, Constance turned her attention back to Jane. She handed Jane the key,

"You're registered with us and will be staying in Maura's room. She has a junior suite. You two will have plenty of room and if you are as close as both of you have mentioned in passing, I'm sure she won't mind sharing with you."

Jane played with the keycard in her hand before stuffing it into the back pocket of her pants. While Constance had been chatting with the concierge, she had allowed herself to glance about the lobby and felt as though a thorough shower and a change of clothes was immediately needed before any of the guests had a long hard look at her, engraving her face into their memory before she had the chance to scrub away a dozen hours of travel.

"Thank you for everything. I know this was all very last minute but you've been a great help," Jane expressed her gratitude and finished with a smile.

Constance gently rubbed Jane's upper arm and offered a half smile,

"Maura's been… different. I don't know if you have anything to do with it. She's never really had friends that she leaves behind for the holidays. I'm sure you understand how she can be. She's…"

"Unique," Jane finished the sentence.

"Yes. She's unique. Always has been."

Constance looked down to her watch and threw her hands up in front of her.

"I must go. I have a business meeting in fifteen minutes. We'll talk over dinner. "

With that, Jane was left alone standing in the lobby with her suitcase which had magically appeared by her side. She looked down at it and wondered how it had materialized; quickly forgetting that Maurice probably had brought it in for her. She awkwardly shifted her weight from one foot to another. She felt like a real fish out of water in this lobby. She'd never laid eyes on any kind of establishment this upscale before. She pulled the key out of her pocket and looked for the room number.

She eventually found the door matching the room number with some help from the staff. Surprisingly, she had no difficulties understanding their English. The door unlocked with an electronic click and a flash of a green light. She pushed it open slowly, pulling her suitcase behind her. The room was gigantic in comparison to any Jane had ever spent the night in while away from Boston. She closed the door silently behind her and ventured into the middle of the suite. It had massive windows that looked out over the Mediterranean and a little terrace with lawn chairs and patio umbrellas.

She peeked into the bathroom, flicking on the light to reveal a spacious room with a big tub and shower. The image of her mother scouting out all the goodies that she could stuff into her suitcase upon arriving in a new hotel room immediately came to mind and Jane laughed. She shook her head and turned the light off as she pivoted to face the interior of the room once more. Despite it being a hotel room, she could sense Maura. The room was impeccable, clothes neatly stored in the closet and dresser, shoes carefully placed in a closet organizer that Maura surely brought with her for efficiency. She smiled as she slipped out of her jacket and dropped it at the end of the bed. She sat down on the edge of the bed to pull off her boots, each falling to the floor with a thud. Crawling up into the bed, the scent of Maura's shampoo and perfume invaded her nostrils and suddenly a wave of comfort drowned her. She crumpled into the made bed, not even bothering to slip under the covers. She blindly reached out for an extra pillow and pulled it close to her, burying her face in it. She inhaled deeply and luxuriated in the scent and the comfortableness of the bed. Enveloped by softness and the scent of Maura, it took seconds before Jane was fast asleep.

* * *

After a long day of walking around the basilica, Maura was glad to return back to the hotel with a few hours to spare before dinner with her parents. The downtime always granted her the opportunity to settle down with a book and relax, unwind after a day on her feet. If the weather was warmer, she'd sit out on the terrace but Marseille in late December granted mild and rainy temperatures.

Upon entering her room, Maura did a double take on seeing the suitcase in the entrance and stepped back to look at the number on the door she'd just pushed open. She frowned at the numbers. No, she was definitely in the right room. She carefully closed the door, not to alert the intruder and silently stepped up to the suitcase to study the identification tags. Her fingers flipped over the tags and the air caught in her throat as she sucked in sharply.

_Jane Rizzoli_

It couldn't be. She sidestepped the bag as she pushed further into the room to look around. Immediately to her right was the bed on which she spotted a comatose Jane. She had to fight the urge to simply jump onto the sleeping Jane and hug her. As her eyes roamed from the unruly locks to the curl in Jane's figure, Maura feared that her heart might beat out of her chest. She knew it was impossible and knew that her reaction was due to the hormones being secreted by her adrenal gland upon seeing Jane. She hadn't realized just how much she missed the brunette until laying eyes on her again. As silently as possible, she slipped out of her jacket and shoes before slowly crawling onto the bed. Her eyes never left Jane's back as she eased herself behind the tall sleeping figure. Everything that she'd felt and had been holding onto since her departure from Boston seeped away as she molded herself to Jane's body, pressing her cheek to the brunette's shoulder. Jane stirred only when Maura's arm wrapped around her body. Jane reached out sleepily and grabbed the embracing hand, linking her fingers with Maura's and pulling her close. Maura gave a gentle squeeze of her fingers as she turned her head so that her nose was lightly pressed in between Jane's shoulder blades.

"You came…" she breathed lightly, more for herself than for a reply from Jane.

"Mmhmm," came a sleepy throaty reply which Maura felt reverberate in Jane's body as much as she heard the hum.

An unstoppable smile broke out on her lips as she buried her face in Jane's back. She could not believe how unbelievably happy Jane made her. It still shook her to her core and sent her reeling whenever she gave it too much thought. She had resolutely come to grips with the notion that she would never be that kind of happy – the kind of joy that comes from meeting someone who would compliment her, from being around someone who despite being her opposite in so many ways just understood her. Jane was everything Maura thought she would never have and most times it was extremely overwhelming for her to accept that all of this was real. Maura let out a breathy sigh as Jane dragged her hand up to her lips and pressed light kisses to her finger tips. Jane was walking that fine line between the warm and embracing clouds of fitful sleep and the pull of wakefulness and now with Maura snuggled closely behind her, all she wanted to do was allow herself to sink into the comfortable arms of sleep. Still suffering from jet lag, in her lethargic state Jane hadn't completely processed what it meant that Maura was cuddled up to her. When the full meaning of Maura's presence slowly seeped into her drowsy mind, she jumped and shifted onto her back, turning her head to look at Maura,

"You're back!"

With her eyes closed, a contented smile tugged at the corner of Maura's lips as she curled up into Jane's left side, adjusting to the shift in her body.

"Mmm, and you're here," she nuzzled her face into the crook of Jane's shoulder. The satisfied noise that escaped Maura's mouth as Jane wrapped her arms around the petite frame warmed her. Jane's hand slowly made its way down to rest at the small of Maura's back as she held her firmly against her side.

"Surprise!" Jane said in a low sing-song voice which evoked a small laugh from Maura. If Jane could get away with it, she would stay in bed with the honey blonde until the sun came out the next day. Despite knowing she could sleep that long, she desperately still needed that shower and was now beginning to feel the rumblings of hunger. Maura finally opened one eye as she propped herself up on one elbow with her other hand lightly on Jane's stomach. She leaned in and pressed her lips against Jane's, lingering for a moment as she savoured the familiar warmth. She smirked against the brunette's lips before saying,

"Surprise, indeed. When did you get in?"

Jane shifted a little to glance at her watch before answering,

"Ah, flight landed 6 hours ago. I didn't plan on passing out. I haven't even changed or eaten since I left Boston yesterday."

"How did you even get here?"

Maura's index traced invisible circles on Jane's abdomen through the thin cotton fabric of her t-shirt. Jane's answer was not something she expected.

"Your mother met me at the airport," she stated with a surprised ring to her voice. Maura's finger stopped mid-circle and Jane couldn't suppress the laugh that escaped her.

"Yeah, I was shocked too. Believe me. I mean, yeah, I called her as soon as I found out that my parents bought me the flight and she said she'd organize a driver but she was there! In the car! Nearly gave me a heart attack when she spoke."

Maura abruptly sat up and perked an eyebrow,

"Your parents bought you the flight? How?"

Jane propped herself up on her elbows and offered a shrug in response.

"I have no idea… and there's no arguing with ma. They gave me the card over breakfast… Ma said I needed to stop moppin' about and just go be happy."

"Funny. My mother said something along the same lines. Differently worded but the sentiment was the same," Maura pointed out.

Despite the lingering sleepiness, Jane felt invigorated in Maura's presence. Pools of brown sought out hazel and when their gazes locked, silence settled upon them. They both started goofily grinning at each other and Jane broke the silence,

"I don't know about you but I'm definitely happy now."

"As I am, Jane."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ Dinner with Maura's parents did not turn out exactly as expected but the night was enjoyable nonetheless.

* * *

_**A/N:** _Thank you everyone for the reviews. I always enjoy them very much. It makes me smile knowing that you are taking pleasure in reading this story. Also, I've never had bouillabaisse, so my knowledge is restricted to what I've read and seen on the Food Network (I don't like seafood but I'd probably be compelled to try it if I ever found myself in Marseille).

* * *

Somehow dinner with Maura and her parents implied a dress and Jane was unsure how she wound up in this situation but she was in the bathroom staring at her reflection nonetheless. She had one little black dress and that was thanks to her mother's unwavering persistence. She smoothed her hands over her front and continued to examine the person she saw staring back at her. It wasn't that she disliked dresses. She disliked all that wearing one implied – styled hair, nice shoes, shaved legs, some make-up. Wearing a dress was never simply wearing a dress; it came packaged with other preparations that required time. Something that Jane never felt like dedicating.

She leaned in closer to the mirror, her hands firmly gripping the edge of the counter top. She had never considered herself one of those natural beauties. She disliked her long frame and limbs and attempted to conceal them under pants, t-shirts and jackets. She never had any patience for her unruly hair which had a mind of its own. She reached up and fussed with a few long corkscrew curls splaying down on her shoulders. Twirling a few strands around her fingers before giving up. She'd resigned a long time ago to stop trying to control her hair. She'd have to content herself with the wild long curls that draped over her shoulders and so would Maura and her parents. She breathed in heavily before stepping away from the mirror and exiting the bathroom.

She meekly walked up to Maura who sat in front of a mirror diligently applying a layer of mascara.

"You're lucky my mother forced me to pack this," Jane grumbled as she stubbornly crossed her arms over her stomach.

As she finished with her mascara, Maura caught Jane's reflection in the mirror. She slipped the mascara wand back into its tube before turning in her chair to rest her eyes on the brunette. She beamed up at her as she delicately reached out for Jane's hands, forcing her to unfold her arms.

"You look gorgeous. I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress," Maura stated encouragingly.

"There's a reason," Jane lamented as she let go of Maura's hands to tug at the dress, "I just… I feel so weird. I don't think I was meant to wear dresses."

The blonde shook her head gently sending some curls bouncing about her shoulders as she stood up.

"Nonsense. You are absolutely stunning," she pressed a light kiss to Jane's cheek before side-stepping her and walking towards the closet. She slid a few hangers with garments on them down until she found the dress she'd been looking for. As she pulled it out to remove it from the hanger, she looked over her shoulder to Jane.

"Would you mind unzipping me?"

She asked as she gestured to the zip at her back. Jane offered up a funny look as she tried to understand why Maura was switching one dress for another. They both looked proper and suitable for dinner.

"Um, sure but why are you changing? The dress you have on now seems fine," she asked as she stepped up behind Maura and gently pulled the zipper down. Jane's breath hitched as her eyes caught a glimpse of the lightly freckled expanse of flesh she had just revealed.

"I've spent all day walking around the basilica in this one," Maura stated as if it were the most logical explanation.

"Oh, of course," came Jane's reply as she took a step back, ripping her eyes away from what was sure to be the softest skin her fingers would ever come to touch.

"Thank you," Maura smiled as she slipped out of her dress and Jane's eyes followed the fabric as it pooled around Maura's feet. Maura was clearly unabashed as she stood in her underwear and bra, not giving the action any second thoughts. Jane's mouth immediately went dry as her eyes wandered over the blonde's toned calves and thighs, over the curve of her behind, up past her flat abdomen and to her ample breasts. Jane's eyes lingered a touch too long on the black lace and Maura could feel those chocolate brown eyes roaming over her. She had always appreciated being admired, relished the way she felt when a pair of eyes took her in. However, there was more to Jane's gaze, an underlying adoration mingled with voracity that she knew they both felt but had yet to feed. It caused a blush to creep across her cheeks and her chest. She stepped into the red dress she'd chosen and demurely asked Jane to zip her up.

Jane numbly reached for the zipper as she felt her face grow warm. She managed to successfully zip the dress up without too much fumbling as her mind replayed that quick once over she'd just been privy to. There is only so much the imagination can provide and when it came to Maura, reality far exceeded anything that Jane's mind had conjured thus far.

"Ready?" Maura's voice cracked, betraying her composed exterior.

Jane nodded silently and offered up a smile which was meant to reassure, and the warm look that Maura gave her told her it had done its job.

* * *

As Maura and Jane settled into the town car, Maura's eyes searched the interior before asking her mother,

"Is dad not joining us for dinner?"

Constance dramatically rolled her eyes with a hand flourish.

"His meeting is running late. He said he would try to join us later."

A barely audible 'yes' passed Maura's lips as she turned to look out the window. Jane's eyes danced between Constance and Maura a few times. Maura's reaction told her this was not unusual and she was beginning to understand that 'vacationing' in Marseille over the holidays for Maura's parents really meant a slew of business meetings and possible dinners with their daughter.

Within ten minutes, they had reached their destination. Jane was thankful the ride was no longer as the silence that permeated the inside of the vehicle soon became awkward and almost unbearable to her. She'd grown up in a household where screaming and yelling was an everyday occurrence. The Rizzoli family did not do quiet. If something was bothering one of them, they definitely voiced their opinion.

As they stepped out of the car, Jane made an effort to thank Maurice who was holding the door open for them. They were seated immediately due to the fact that Constance had made a reservation for them. After removing their jackets, Maura settled into her seat, unfolding her napkin and gently placing it in her lap.

"Chez Michel is personally my favourite restaurant for bouillabaisse," Maura explained as she smoothed out the creases of the napkin across her lap.

"Bouilla… what?" Jane shot her a questioning glance as she busied herself with her own napkin.

"Bouillabaisse," Maura repeated as though the mere repetition would explain what it was. Jane knitted her eyebrows and Maura smiled knowingly.

"It's a traditional Provencal dish which originated in this very city. It's a fish stew. Chez Michel is renowned for it. Then again, really any restaurant in Marseille has exquisite bouillabaisse. You should definitely try it, Jane."

Constance finally joined them at the table and greeted them with a smile as she sat across from Maura.

"Is Maura regaling you with the history of Chez Michel, Jane?"

"Um, no… she was just explaining what bouill… the fish stew was."

"It is one of those trickier words to pronounce. I believe it's the double L," Maura tried to assuage the frustration she knew must be boiling up within Jane.

Constance cast a glance to Jane before settling her eyes back on Maura. She was about to say something when a waiter appeared at her side and spoke in French. Jane couldn't decipher the words being exchanged but Constance eagerly pointed to something in a menu Jane could only guess was the wine list from the discernible wine bottle on the front. The older woman closed the menu before replacing it and resettling her gaze back on Maura.

"What was I going to say… oh yes, I remember quite well how you struggled as a child with the double L. You would often just gloss over them in words, pretending that they did not exist. You created your own words. Surprisingly, you were always understood."

"I did, didn't I?" Maura laughed at the memory.

"I can't really imagine Maura struggling with anything," Jane stated, fiddling with one of the forks to her right.

"It's how she developed such a strong work ethic. She refuses to give up until she has mastered the task at hand," Constance explained and despite how aloof the older woman acted, Jane could easily detect pride in her words. Maura smiled at her mother from across the table.

The waiter returned and appeared at Jane's side this time, frightening her as she had been too busy observing the dynamic between Maura and her mother. It was so different than the one she shared with her own mother. Their waiter finally introduced himself as Antoine while he busied himself with arranging the ice bucket near their table for the wine. He began pouring them all a glass as he asked whether they were ready to order.

"Jane, are you interested in trying the bouillabaisse?" Maura asked as she brought her wine glass to her lips, and smelling the aroma of the white liquid, a gesture that was now all too familiar to Jane as she'd seen Maura do it many times.

"Sure," she replied taking her wine glass as Antoine offered it to her.

"_Nous allons tous prendre la bouillabaisse_, _Antoine. Merci_, (We will all take the bouillabaisse, Antoine. Thank you)" Maura directed her attention to the gentleman as he finished pouring the wine, handing the last glass to her mother. Jane had to stop smirking as Maura's French ringed in her ears. She made a mental note to ask Maura to speak more French to her later, in the privacy of their room.

He nodded and disappeared, taking with him their menus. Constance sipped her wine slowly and delicately returned the glass to the table.

"So, Jane, Maura tells me you are taking Justice Studies at BCU. That's an interesting subject for a woman. What are your aspirations for a future career?" Constance asked and Jane nearly choked on her wine. She tried as elegantly as possible to hide it, bringing her napkin to her mouth and looking over to Constance. She hadn't expected the game of twenty questions to start so early.

"I… um, I actually want to be a cop," Jane asserted, returning the napkin to her lap. This was something that neither Maura nor she had brought up in prior discussions. She knew that Maura wanted to pursue a job within the medical field but they hadn't discussed it at length.

"A cop? That seems like an unusual career…" came Constance's surprised reply.

"You mean for a woman?" Jane asked bluntly and she could feel Maura's look before she even saw it.

"Well, yes for a woman but in general. It's such a dangerous job."

Jane shrugged her shoulders and propped her arms against the side of the table, ensuring that her elbows were not on the table top. She could hear her mother's voice reminding her to constantly get her elbows off the table as a child.

"I've wanted to be a cop since this one officer came to my school one year for career day. I saw how the other kids looked up to him and I just immediately knew that was the job for me," she explained, her thumbs twirling around each other nervously. _I want the gun… I want the badge._ She told herself.

"What it comes down to is the respect. Above all, I just want the respect. I've always struggled to get that growing up in a blue collar family… My mother is a housewife and my father is a plumber. I just want to show my family and myself that I can amount to something."

She wasn't about to delve into the other family issues revolving around her delinquent little brother Tommy. That was a conversation for another time when Constance was done dissecting Jane Rizzoli.

"That's very admirable of you, Jane. I am sure you'll make an excellent cop," Constance smiled and Jane was unsure whether her words were meant to be encouraging or condescending. She relaxed as she felt Maura's hand gently squeeze her knee under the table. Her eyes flitted over to the blonde who offered her a comforting smile. Jane offered her own weak one in return.

Despite not having discussed their future career plans, it did not strike Maura as surprising or out of the ordinary for someone like Jane to seek future placement in the social services department. Maura was confident that Jane would excel in any endeavor she chose to take on and she knew that Jane had the tough skin and persistence required to break through the all boy's club.

A few more questions later, and Antoine accompanied by two other waiters setting their bowls and platters of fish down on the table were a welcomed distraction. Maura noted the look of puzzlement on Jane's face and jumped at the opportunity to explain the layout of the dishes.

"There's argument on exactly how bouillabaisse is to be served even in Marseille. Some serve the fish with the soup while others remove the fish once the stew has finished boiling and serve it aside. This is what we have here," she gestured to the dishes in front of them.

"You have the soup base served with croutons. On the side, we have the assorted fish and seafood used to make the base as well as sliced potatoes, and two sauces for the fish, aioli and rouille."

Jane knew better than to interrupt Maura when she was in the middle of one of her spiels and she enjoyed watching the look of contentment on Maura's face as she brokedown the assorted dishes. Jane had grown to appreciate Maura's explanations and often missed them when Maura kept herself from doing so depending on the company. Clearly, Constance was also used to this which made Jane happy. She'd misjudged Constance from the stories that Maura had shared with her. The woman was distant, perhaps borderline cold, and Jane had assumed she didn't care much for Maura but the situation was quite the opposite. Their mother daughter dynamic was just of a different kind. Maura was independent and Constance had noted from an early age that the young girl didn't need to be coddled. Maura on the other hand accepted the situation, not knowing how to demand otherwise as a child. Their dynamic grew from there and became second nature. As much as it had bothered Jane at first, she now understood that Maura didn't mind their relationship and was content with the little morsels she was granted.

Jane shook her head as she picked up her spoon and glanced at Maura,

"I'm not even going to bother asking what that last sauce was."

This was Jane's way of goading Maura. She knew the other woman was dying to explain it and this opened the door for her. The blonde beamed and explained excitedly.

"Rouille? It's a typical sauce served with bouillabaisse. It's essentially olive oil with breadcrumbs and local spices."

This was the abridged version and Jane knew that Maura had probably memorized the list of spices during her childhood. The conversation naturally shifted as they enjoyed their food. Jane had always enjoyed seafood, growing up in a port city like Boston. Boston even played host every year to the Boston International Seafood Show. However, New England cuisine was very much different to what she was experiencing. A true Mediterranean treat, Maura had called it earlier.

By the time the food had been consumed, and the wine bottle emptied, the conversation had swerved back to Jane and her family. She was never one to enjoy talking about herself but Constance seemed curious and Jane was more than willing to answer her questions if it meant that she could somehow weasel her way into her good graces. They had begun discussing Jane's siblings. A topic she often tried to avoid at best. She never rejoiced in having to tell Tommy's story and she hated to admit that she was somewhat ashamed that he brought such a horrible reputation to the Rizzoli name. Seeing Jane's discomfort, Maura piped in,

"I often wished for a sibling growing up but I think that's because I am such a recluse that I figured a sibling had to like me by default."

Thankfully, Maura's interruption did guide the conversation away from Jane having to begin explaining Tommy Rizzoli.

"Your father and I had considered adopting another girl when you were about five years old. You were such a character. Always alone, reading, practicing the piano… we both thought that a sibling might help but then we decided against it."

Maura looked to Jane as Antoine placed their dessert and coffee in front of each of them.

"What she's saying is that I was an awkward, stubborn child and quite a handful. It's all right, mother, I always knew that I was an odd duck."

Constance's hard features melted into fondness as her eyes rested on Maura,

"Yes, you were… but you were and still are _our _odd duck, Maura. A quite accomplished odd duck at that."

Jane was still processing something that Constance had said a few minutes ago as she picked at her pastry,

"Wait, you played the piano?"

"Have I never shown you the upright piano in the spare bedroom, Jane?" Maura asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.

Jane laughed at the way the question was posed and shook her head with a grin.

"No, Maur, you've never shown me the upright piano in the spare bedroom."

"Oh, well then, I'll have to show you sometime."

Jane sipped her coffee and nodded,

"I'd like that."

She decided to keep the fact that she could play the piano also tucked into her back pocket. She'd save that for a rainy day. How she'd gotten into learning the piano was an interesting story in itself. She remembered that day very well. Her mother had sat her down at the dining room table and had frustratingly declared that Jane needed to pick a hobby that was appropriate for a girl. No more of this rough housing with her brothers, no more playing basketball with the neighbourhood boys. She needed to pick something that was more feminine. Angela had given her some options and originally Jane had chosen ballet but that adventure only lasted a few months after which she picked up the piano. She would never admit it to her mother but she loved the piano. She loved the way the ivory keys felt under her finger tips and the way the notes resonated within the grand piano she had learnt on. Because of the piano, Jane had a secret appreciation for classical music and whenever she had needed to clear her mind in her youth, the piano was where she would run to.

They ended the evening back at the hotel in better spirits than when it had begun. Jane figured that Constance's solid exterior was merely a façade until she knew her better. At least, she hoped that it wasn't just the wine they'd consumed over dinner that softened the older Isles woman. Constance bid them goodnight and slipped away down the hall to her room. As soon as her mother was out of sight, Maura reached out for Jane's hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Thank you," she murmured close to Jane's ear before kissing her jaw.

"For what?" Jane questioned, giving Maura's hand a light squeeze, pulling her along gently down the hall towards their room.

"For everything… for indulging her. I know she can be a bit much with all her questions sometimes."

"She's just trying to get to know me. I didn't mind. The food and wine didn't hurt," Jane jested as they reached their room.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Maura purred and wrapped her arms around Jane's waist as the brunette searched her jacket for the key. One thing she had certainly noticed about Maura was that red wine made her weepy, a rosé posed no adverse effects but a white made her frisky. And after what she'd had the opportunity to witness earlier coupled with the wine she'd drank herself, keeping her hands to herself was beyond any doubt not happening tonight.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ Is a summary really needed after the way the last chapter ended? I set that up purposely so that there were NO doubts as to what may ensue.

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**_A/N:_**Thank you everyone for the reviews, again. I will continue to thank you as long as the reviews continue to roll in. Also, can I just say that you lot are a patient bunch (those who have stuck it out 14 chapters with an M rating). I know you guys were probably all thinking "Okay, when are they going to sleep together?" Admit it! That's the way I am anyways (especially when a fic is specifically rated M). So, thank you for sticking it through. Hopefully, you don't find yourself as frustrated as our two ladies are at the beginning of this chapter by the end of it. My words are a kind of foreplay with my readers and so please excuse the wordiness at parts.

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Opening the door after those thoughts had flooded Jane's mind proved to be far more difficult than it should have been. With a flash of green after the key had been inserted, she pushed open the door. Maura followed closely on her heels and before Jane had had the chance to find the light, Maura admitted,

"I find it amusing that the image of you totting a gun and handcuffs turns me on…"

Jane nearly tripped on the bedside table as she reached down to turn on the light that stood on it.

"What?" she asked with a laugh. Her fingers finally found the lamp switch, and turned it on, blanketing the room with a soft warm glow. Jane looked over to Maura as she nonchalantly threw her arms up into a half shrug,

"What? It's the truth. Don't get me started on the uniform."

Jane sank into the edge of the bed as she sat down. She noticed how Maura's eyes shimmered with mischief as she smirked, shrugging off her coat and discarding it haphazardly on a nearby chair.

"I can't do much about the gun at this point but I can definitely work on the handcuffs," Jane asserted playfully. These steps were well rehearsed; they had partaken in this dance many times before. The shameless flirting and the back and forth banter had amounted to nothing except leaving both extremely sexually frustrated. Jane had always delighted in the act of flirting, even more so when the act was reciprocated by the recipient. She was quite confident in her skills to woo but only if she was certain of the other woman's inclinations. Otherwise, her efforts would be wasted and she would potentially end up looking like a fool. However, there was something to be said about reeling in the unattainable and she had succeeded at this maybe once or twice in her late teens.

Maura slowly stepped out of her shoes and sauntered over to Jane. She bent forward with both her hands firmly on Jane's thighs and leaned in.

"What about the uniform?" she whispered before lightly brushing her lips along Jane's jaw. Jane tilted her head back with a groan as kisses continued to be placed along her neck and down to her collarbone.

"Only if you speak French," she followed up huskily. Her hands roaming over Maura's and up the back of her arms.

"_Certainement _(Certainly)."

Maura's lips grazed Jane's ear as she replied sending shivers down the brunette's spine and the hair on her arms and the back of her neck to stand on end. Jane was no French expert but certain words she could definitely grasp. At this point though, Maura could read from the French phone book and it would have the same effect. Maura's hands moved from Jane's thighs to her shoulders, slipping under the front of her jacket and over Jane's shoulders as her lips brushed against the brunette's. Her movements were unhurried, deliberate and exact. She pushed Jane's jacket off her shoulders, and was met with no resistance. Jane eagerly pulled her arms out of her jacket and allowed for the garment to fall behind her on the bed. Her hands reached out to Maura's hips, her fingers grasping at the material of her dress and pulling her gently down towards her. The blonde obliged, slipping into Jane's lap as she deepened the kiss, her tongue pushing forward and in a slow exploratory way seeking out Jane's.

Reaching up and curling her fingers at the back of Maura's neck, Jane pulled her in as she leaned up into the kiss. As their bodies slid closer together, Maura's dress hiked up her thighs as she straddled Jane, wrapping her arms loosely around the other's shoulders. Jane's hands dropped to Maura's thighs, running them up the length of the exposed flesh and dipping them under the bunched up fabric. She needed to feel Maura, touch every part of her, and graze her lips across every inch of her skin. She needed to taste her. She squelched the burning desire to throw Maura down on the bed, ravish her with kisses and run her hands all over her. Instead, she pulled back from the kiss which had grown quite heated, instantly missing the warmth of Maura's lips and the sweet lingering taste of the dessert she'd eaten earlier. Jane's hands traveled to the small of her back, lazily working their way up to Maura's shoulders as she dipped her head and began placing light kisses down Maura's neck, across her collar bone. She traced the dip of her collarbone with the tip of her tongue. Her ears picked up on the faintest whimper, or breath as her senses were now hyper sensitive to any twitch or movement from Maura's.

Maura dropped her head back as a trail of burning flesh was left in the wake of Jane's kisses. She sucked in a sharp breath as she leaned back into Jane's firm hold at her shoulders. Shivers coursed down her spine as goosebumps multiplied across any exposed skin as Jane's lips continued to slowly press downwards. She involuntarily arched her back as she felt the other woman's fingers clasp the zipper at the back of her dress and pulling it down. She had to force herself to pull herself away from Jane and stand up. Immediately, she missed the warmth of Jane's body under hers and wished to rectify that as quickly as possible. With her eyes locked on Jane, she pushed the dress down and allowed it to pool around her feet. For once, she said the heck with wrinkles, they were the last thing on her mind.

"Jane…" she said softly.

Jane's eyes had been on Maura's until the material barrier was removed and Maura was once again in her bra and underwear in front of her. Her hands reached out, resting at the top of her sides, her thumbs lightly passing over her ribs as she leaned forward pulling Maura closer, burying her face in the smaller woman's stomach. Maura breathed in sharply as Jane's fingers danced across her exposed skin. Her hands found Jane's shoulders, one hand creeping to the back of Jane's neck, her fingers curling in her hair. Jane shut her eyes tightly at the light graze of Maura's nails at the back of her scalp.

"Jane…" Maura said a little more demandingly this time. Needing the other woman to direct her attention up to her.

Jane finally leaned back and looked up to Maura.

"Hmm?" was all she could muster at this point, unsure of her capability of forming words and stringing them together.

"_J'ai besoin que tu enleves ta robe, _" she stated with a small smirk. Jane couldn't even formulate a response as the words resonated in her ears, rendering her warm all over.

"Huh?" was all she managed to get out which made Maura laugh as she reached down to Jane's hands, removing them from her sides and gently pulling at them to get Jane to stand up. Jane complied despite not understanding and stood up and as she did, Maura's hands moved up her arms to her shoulders where she wasted no time in slipping the dress' straps down Jane's shoulders.

"Your dress… I need you out of it," she repeated in English. She pushed the dress down further and her eyes dropped along with Jane's dress, leisurely wandering their way back up afterwards. She couldn't help but to canvass Jane's body; her eyes drank in every curve, every dip, every muscle, committing it all to memory. Jane had never enjoyed being so exposed; for the very same reasons she disliked dresses, she also disliked being in a situation where another individual could ogle her. However, the way in which Maura's eyes roamed over her did not cause her to recoil; it caused a warmth to bloom in her abdomen.

"Screw this," Jane muttered in frustration, her arms flying out and wrapping around Maura's frame securely, her hands reaching down and cupping her ass as she pulled her against her. Maura let out a nervous laugh, suddenly painfully aware of the nerves she'd suppressed. She couldn't understand why and she tried to overcome them. It was very unlike her to be nervous in a situation like this, especially since she had always been confident in her sexual prowess. Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's shoulders as her lips came crashing down on Jane's with hungry and fiery passion. She'd had enough of this delicate, sensual and slow pace. It was lovely and she appreciated it but she couldn't stand it any longer. Jane moaned into the kiss, relieved that Maura had broken the soft pace they had both automatically adopted. She hungrily kissed her back, trying to quell any lingering doubts about what this particular step involved. This wasn't a soft passionate kiss like the previous ones they had shared. It emanated from pent up sexual tension that had built up over the months, surging with want and the need to feel wanted. It was purely sexual. Jane would be lying if she said that she hadn't had indecent thoughts about what she'd do to Maura the day they first met at the softball game. Maura was gorgeous and she had this innocent naivety when it came to her power over others which Jane had picked up on in no time. A characteristic that Jane found incredibly attractive in Maura.

Jane's grip on Maura's ass tightened as she barely lifted the smaller woman off the ground and spun her, dropping her onto the bed and sliding her up to the middle of it. Jane quickly readjusted herself, propping herself up with her hands firmly planted on either side of Maura's head. The blonde's fingers gently dug into Jane's hips as Jane nuzzled into her neck, her warm breath tickling her skin. Her lips blazed a trail back down her front once more, traveling further down with unrestricted access. Maura's chest heaved as she breathed in deeply, momentarily holding her breath feeling Jane lightly drag her tongue down the valley between her breasts. Her hands dragged down from Maura's shoulders, barely touching her breasts as she continued to work her way down Maura's stomach. Her painstaking exploration of Maura's midriff evoked soft whimpers from the woman – music to Jane's ears.

Jane continued down to Maura's abdomen, her fingers caressing her ribs as Maura squirmed under her. Jane particularly reveled in Maura's subtle reactions. The process of learning which spot evoked which reaction was one of her favourite aspects of making love; this process she would never want to skip. Hearing the little sounds Maura made as her lips pressed against her abdomen, and feeling the way she quivered beneath her fingertips was as much of a turn on to Jane as anything else.

Jane's hands moved to Maura's hips anchoring her down as her tongue traced the edge of Maura's lace panties. The blonde's fingers tangled into brown locks, her hips involuntarily rising to meet Jane's lips. Maura was met with some resistance as Jane chuckled and forced her hips back down into the bed.

"Eager much?" Jane teased, her voice sounding raw and scratchy.

Maura pushed herself into the bed and groaned,

"You have no fucking idea."

Jane's eyes shot up at the swear word, stopping what she was doing to smirk up at Maura even if the blonde couldn't see her. Hearing Maura swear was rather bewitching to Jane, a rarity that must be enjoyed.

"Oh, I think I do," she amusingly replied before dropping further down, her fingers curling under Maura's knee and forcing her to bend her leg as she gently grazed her lips along her inner thigh, starting at her knee and working inward. Jane shivered feeling nails gently dig into her scalp as she neared Maura's center. The smell of Maura's arousal teemed Jane's nostrils as she found herself between pale soft thighs. As excruciating as this was for Maura, it was just as painful for her to not just ravish her. It required an extreme amount of self control which was quickly evaporating as the seconds ticked by. Jane was enjoying herself far too much, relishing the soft skin beneath her touch, under her lips.

Maura curled her fingers around Jane's head and tugged, trying to get her to come back to her level. Jane left one last kiss to her inner thigh before acquiescing and pushing herself back up to Maura. She slipped her arms under Maura's, resting on her forearms, allowing the length of her body to gently press down on Maura as she settled between her legs, maximizing the skin contact between the two. The warmth radiating from Maura was comforting and it nearly pained Jane to know that soon she'd have to pull their bodies apart once again.

"You're an insufferable tease," Maura whispered as she leaned up, kissing Jane just below her chin and running her hands down her front, her fingers tracing her taut stomach which stiffened under her touch. She dragged them to Jane's back, resting them there.

"Hmm, this is nothing. I can do this forever," Jane replied, faltering as Maura's thighs pressed in at her sides. Her resolve rapidly dissipated and she forced her hand under Maura, her fingers adeptly unclasping her bra. The bra was discarded as quickly as it was undone and Jane kissed her way back down to Maura's breasts before the tip of her tongue swirled around one of her nipples. As her tongue gently flicked the hardened nub and sucked it into her mouth, her thumb smoothed over the other. Maura struggled to breathe, keeping her breaths short and digging her fingers into Jane's back. Jane moved to Maura's other breast, lavishing it with the same attention as the other which she now palmed, gently squeezing. A deep guttural moan derived from want and pleasure escaped passed Maura's lips as she bit down on her lower one. Her hands moved up Jane's back to her shoulders and gently pulled downward, a subtle attempt at getting her to dip lower. Jane capitulated, pushing herself back onto her heels, trailing her fingers down Maura's sides and hooking her indexes into her underwear.

Maura lightly chewed on her lower lip as her eyes locked with Jane's; they were dark with want and she felt herself flush under her gaze. She lifted her hips as Jane rid her of her last garment of clothing; Jane's hands softly glided down the top of Maura's thighs, her thumbs applying light pressure inside her thighs as she reached her hip bones. Maura sucked in a shaky breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt Jane move and settle between her thighs.

Jane slid her arms under Maura's legs, stretching out on her stomach, one hand settling on the top of her thigh and the other resting flatly on the blonde's abdomen. Maura braced herself under Jane's touch, the build-up almost unbearable as warm lips pressed inwards, nearing her center at an excruciatingly slow pace. Maura bit down harder on her lower lip, thrusting her hips upward feeling Jane's warm breath against her. She reached down to the hand lying on her stomach, sliding her own over it and linking her fingers with Jane's. Jane squeezed back lightly as her tongue dipped into Maura, exploring her wetness. She dragged the tip of her tongue up and back down, purposely delaying pleasing Maura's swollen clit.

'Jane…" Maura begged weakly, her fingers curling tightly around Jane's hand.

A muffled groan rumbled in Jane's throat as she eventually swept her tongue over Maura's clit before pulling it into her mouth, sucking gently and smoothly flicking her tongue against it. The blonde's body squirmed beneath her and the small ways in which Maura's body responded to her touch and tongue were immensely gratifying to Jane. As she continued to sooth Maura's arousal with her tongue, she gently pushed two fingers into her, slowly pulling them out as she felt Maura tighten around her. She curled her fingers upwards in a come hither motion whenever she pulled them out, eventually she knew she'd found the spot she had been seeking when Maura squeezed her hand tightly, crying out with pleasure. She arched her back, her hips sinking into the bed as Jane meticulously concentrated on applying pressure to that particular area, stimulating her g-spot. Jane replaced her tongue with her thumb to kiss along the inside of Maura's thighs, gently sucking and biting lightly. In a way, marking Maura somewhere no one else would see. Maura's free hand shot to Jane's head, her fingers coiling in a mess of curls as she felt her orgasm build up. Jane's tongue immediately slipped back into wetness as her fingers continued to pump inside of Maura until she felt the body beneath her stiffen, nails drag along her scalp and thighs enclose around her head.

"Oh fuck," Maura breathed as her climax took over her body, spreading from her pelvis outwards, and curling her toes. Jane smirked hearing Maura swear, tucking that little tidbit of information in her metaphorical pocket for later. As Maura's orgasm began to subside, Jane's tongue slowly darted through her slick folds sending her over the edge once more. She felt the tension in Maura's muscles release as Maura's thighs relinquished Jane's head. She turned and placed light kisses to Maura's thigh before lifting herself up and pressing another light kiss to the top of Maura's hand which was still holding hers. She continued on her journey upwards, showering Maura's body with delicate kisses. Her pale skin felt cool to Jane's lips despite the small beads of perspiration which had begun to glisten on her chest. When Jane finally found herself back to eye level with Maura, she noticed that the other's eyes were still screwed shut and chuckled, lightly pressing her lips to Maura's soft ones. She then dropped her head and buried her face in Maura's neck, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman. In response, Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's waist, holding her close to her as she delighted in the aftermath of her orgasm. Her limbs felt like jelly and a soft throbbing coursed through her legs and toes. She tangled them with Jane's, wanting to be as close to the other woman as possible. One hand danced across the expanse of flesh at Jane's back, lightly pressing at the nape of her neck as Maura's breathing regulated itself and her heartbeat calmed, no longer feeling as though it were about to pound its way out of her chest.

Maura brushed aside errant curls and pressed her lips to Jane's ear then the soft spot of her neck just below it. Jane hummed her appreciation, the sound coming from so deep within her chest that Maura felt it in her own. Her hands lazily caressed Jane's back as they lay wrapped in each other's embrace, content. Despite the throbbing in her groin, Jane felt surprisingly lethargic and found herself luxuriating under Maura's soft hands, concentrating on the warm body beneath her, the rise and fall of Maura's chest which caused her body to move along with it. It was hypnotic if she allowed herself to narrow in on it which she did.

It soon struck Maura by the way that Jane was reveling in their embrace that tonight had been about her, that Jane did not expect anything in return. She felt herself grow warm all over as the realization seeped in and a sudden lightness pervaded through her chest. This was definitely a new scenario which Maura had never encountered before. It had always been a give and take exchange and the recognition of that mere fact shook her. She tightly closed her eyes as she buried her face in Jane's hair and murmured words she never thought she'd utter,

"You may just be the one…"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ Some morning smut for y'all. There's no real storyline to this particular chapter.

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_**A/N:** _Thank you everyone for your reviews. I will continue to thank you as long as you continue to write them. I appreciate your kind words. It's very encouraging. I didn't get to where I wanted to go with this chapter but the words haven't been flowing as freely as they usually do and I feel horrible for having you all wait a week for an update. Thank you for your patience. Enjoy!

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Slipping out of sleep into wakefulness was usually a simple matter for Maura but not this morning. Sleep pulled at her, beckoning her back into its comfortable arms. She stirred, enjoying the feel of the soft covers against her skin and suddenly she snapped awake. She didn't remember getting under the covers. She didn't remember falling asleep.

"Oh darn," she exhaled to no one but herself, her face flushing with heat as she remembered. Falling asleep had not been what she had wanted to do last night but the light pressure of Jane's body and her warmth clearly had been too hard to resist. She turned onto her side to rest her eyes on a slumbering Jane. The brunette was sprawled out on her stomach facing away from Maura with her arms tucked under her pillow. All she could see were Jane's curls. They seemed more of a mess than usual and covered her bare shoulders and back. She slowly lifted herself up onto one arm, reaching out with the other and placing it just next to Jane's hip on the opposite side. Without thinking, she brought one leg onto the opposite side as well and straddled Jane's ass. By now, the brunette had begun to stir but was still processing everything. Maura had always found Jane to be extremely irresistible in the morning and this time, she was not allowing forethought to hinder any of her actions. She was simply going on gut instinct, if her stomach was capable of such a thing.

"Maur…?" Jane's voice came out raw, full of sleep.

Maura leaned in, grazing Jane's shoulder with her lips.

"Morning," she breathed.

Maura's warm breath on Jane's skin caused her to shiver and she squirmed under the smaller woman. Maura kissed a trail down Jane's spine, sliding down to straddle Jane's thighs. Maura registered that Jane was no longer wearing her bra but still sported her underwear as she quickly surveyed Jane's body. Jane must have been the one to put her to bed and close the lights. Her hands rested gently on Jane's sides as she kissed the expanse of bare flash at her disposal. As she continued fighting off the dregs of sleep, Jane resisted the urge to laugh as the tips of Maura's curls tickled down and up her back as Maura made her way back up to Jane's shoulders. She buried her face in her pillow and stifled a moan upon feeling Maura's breast press against her back. She was suddenly painfully reminded of her unattended arousal from the night before as a new one burned through her. She turned her head to try to catch a glimpse of the blonde and asked,

"What are you doing?"

"What I should have done last night," Maura whispered, her voice low and even.

Jane shut her eyes tightly as Maura's words resonated deep within her. She could get used to waking up with Maura next to her, or in this case, on top of her. A naked Maura for that matter. Maura reached up and pushed Jane's hair to the side to lightly kiss the nape of her neck. Goosebumps spread across the top of Jane's arms as she twisted under the blonde's weight, and as soon as Maura relented a little, Jane flipped onto her back, stabilizing Maura down close to her afterwards. She relished in the delicious contact of their skin, the way in which Maura's smaller body formed to hers. She grinned up at Maura,

"Hey."

Maura smirked in reply,

"Hey."

Neither was sure as to how this little exchange came about or exactly when it had taken shape but it was something they did now. It was always followed by silly smiles and silent gazing. Maura's hair fell loosely around their faces, creating a canopy. She leaned in, placing a chaste kiss to Jane's lips before exploring Jane's distinct jaw with her lips. Jane pushed her head back into the pillow, arching her back slightly as her hands flew to Maura's hips. Her thumbs rested gently on the top of Maura's hip bones where she rubbed small circles against the smooth flesh. A firm squeeze to her hips caused Maura to involuntarily buck against Jane's, a faint whimper slipping past her lips as they pulled away from Jane's warm skin. Jane enjoyed slowly regaining the upper hand even if she was pinned under Maura's body. There were other ways she could make the other woman unfold. Her lips brushed feather light kisses against the shell of Maura's ear as she tilted her head to whisper,

"You're in a playful mood this morning."

Her tongue flicked at Maura's earlobe, gently sucking it into her mouth. Maura's arms began trembling as she fought the shivers coursing down her spine. She slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position and as if anticipating this, Jane followed her. Maura trailed her hands down Jane's front, lightly stroking her breast and running her fingers over her stomach.

"I am simply letting go. If only you know the amount of self-control that I've been exercising recently."

She smoothed her tongue along Jane's clavicle, tracing its length horizontally. Jane breathed in sharply as her head lulled back with a groan.

"Oh, I know," she rasped, her hands shifting along Maura's sides towards her back and cupping her ass firmly.

Maura hooked one arm around Jane's back, bracing herself against the other woman's body while her free hand danced between their bodies along the edge of Jane's underwear. Jane's entire body stiffened when delicate finger pads pushed against her abdomen, slowly exploring. She could barely handle the suspense,

"Maura!" she groaned, her fingers hungrily digging into the petite woman's butt cheeks. "Please," her voice cracked.

Maura dipped her head into the crook of Jane's neck, her lips finding Jane's pulse point. As her hand slipped into Jane's underwear and her fingers gradually explored her arousal, Maura dragged the tip of her tongue down Jane's neck. As foreign as having sex with a woman had seemed to her at first, she had soon come to realize that pleasing a woman would definitely prove to be far easier than pleasing a man. Perhaps the anatomy is different but the process of discovering a partner's body and sensitive areas was unchanging. The opportunity to fully immerse herself and become knowledge of her partner's form was something that Maura had never fully granted herself. She enjoyed the process, perhaps a little too much, yet she had rarely found herself enjoying the company of a particular partner more than once or twice.

She already had some insights on what caused Jane to squirm beneath her touch. However, at this particular time, a slow and laborious exploration of Jane's figure was not on the table as much as she felt the burning desire to run her fingers down every inch of her soft olive skin, to drag her tongue across the smooth expanse of her abdomen, and to press her lips on the soft spots inside Jane's thigh just above her knees. She would have to store those wants for another time.

Jane swayed back, using Maura's weight against her thighs to keep her anchored. Her hands crawled over Maura's back and up to her shoulders where she gained purchase to pull herself as close as possible and still allow Maura's arm to move between them. Maura's fingers nimbly circled Jane's wetness, dipping a tentative finger into her, eliciting feeble moans from the brunette. Jane pressed her cheek against Maura's which felt hot against her own and the warm ragged breaths that she exhaled caused Maura to lean her head into Jane's.

"Maur…" Jane hissed into her ear. "Just. Fuck. Me."

It may come off as crass but that's exactly what Jane needed. The buildup of her arousal had almost reached the point of painfulness and she needed release. Maura's fingers were where she needed them to be but she needed more, she needed the pressure, the force. The way in which Jane punctuated every word sent a wave of warm breath against Maura's ear with each word. She writhed in Jane's lap, surprised at how those words sent a wave of excitement coursing down her spine, pooling in her abdomen, sending her mind reeling. Maura leaned her head back just enough so that by turning a few inches, her lips could capture Jane's. Heated passion and hunger fueled the kiss as Maura eagerly pressed into Jane and as her tongue wantonly sought out Jane's, she pushed two fingers into her. A groan slipped past Jane's lips and into the kiss as her body eased, rocking forward under Maura's.

Their lips meshed together as their tongues pushed against each other. Maura slid down Jane's thighs, separating their bodies as she began thrusting her fingers in and out of Jane. She delighted in every erratic breath, each moan and all of Jane's minute body twitches as she continued to work her fingers inside of Jane. Maura shuddered and arched into Jane's touch as Jane's hands worked down her spine to her lower back. Jane smoothed one hand to Maura's front, inching it upwards and cupping one of her breasts. For a brief moment, Maura's movements stilled as Jane rolled her nipple between thumb and index while capturing her bottom lip between her teeth and tugging back gently. Maura lost herself in the feel of Jane's lips, and touches. Jane had hoped for an opportunity to shift the power dynamics and she could sense the lull in Maura's lucidity. She snaked her arm securely around Maura's small waist, bracing her firmly against her own body and pulled away from their kiss before twisting backwards, sending them down in to the bed, allowing for Jane to hover over Maura. An intense gasp escaped Maura as she landed on her back and she suddenly found herself staring up into Jane's eyes. They were dark, darker than usual and filled with lust. She bit her lower lip as she wiggled underneath the towering frame above her.

"Do you _always _ have to be in charge?" she quipped.

Jane's eyes snaked over Maura's features. She saw how Maura's eyes sparkled with amusement and also noticed the light flush to Maura's cheeks.

"No but I like it," Jane smirked as she adjusted her position, sliding one leg in between Maura's, straddling her thigh.

Maura kept her eyes locked on Jane's as she slid her hand back in between Jane's legs, her fingers easily finding their way back into her underwear. Her thumb arched back to press circles into Jane's clit as her fingers began pumping in and out again.

"We'll talk about that later," Maura purred.

Jane's body helplessly sank down with a jolt, her hips jerking forward against Maura's hand as her head dropped to Maura's shoulder. The only reply from Jane came as a garbled moan as Maura shifted her leg up between Jane's legs, adding extra pressure with her inward thrusts. Jane steadied herself by shifting one hand next to Maura's head as the other slipped between them. Her fingers slipped into slick folds and began stroking the bundle of swollen nerves she found there. Maura arched away from the touch, sinking into the bed and sucking in air as small pulses of ecstasy shot through her. Her free hand reached out and gripped Jane's side, fingers burying into soft flesh. Her stomach undulated with each touch, her breaths shortened and her eyes squeezed shut. Jane lifted her head and squished her cheek against Maura's.

"Stay with me," she breathed in her ear.

Jane wanted Maura to remain in the moment, to stay with her. She knew how easy it was to slip into a trance like state when the pleasure begins to build inside. She needed Maura to stay with her, to experience this with her. She rolled her hips against Maura's hand, her movements growing shorter as her orgasm neared. Their bodies synchronized in a set of gyrating hips, heaving chests, and fondling hands. Their breathing evidently unstable as they closed in on their peaks. Jane crested first, and as her climax seeped through every limb in her body, her hips slowed and her body relaxed after that original tense moment. She gripped the sheets in a fist as she readjusted herself, concentrating on Maura as the remnants of heart pumping pleasure flowed through her, making her want to simply collapse. Her movements grew rapid, a little more frantic as the smaller woman's body writhed beneath her. Maura arched her back, her chest launching forward as her orgasm took over her body. She cried out, gasping for air as her body froze, every muscle contracting. Jane winced as nails dug into her hip but relished the pain instead, quickly dipping her head under Maura's chin. She kissed her neck, licking down her barely protruding Adam's apple as the other woman's body eventually released and sunk into the bed.

Jane kissed down to the dip in Maura's collarbone as their breaths calmed. The skin beneath her lips was warm and had a saltiness to it that Jane could only attribute to the taste of Maura's skin during and after sex. Maura's hands reached up, fingers tangling in messed curls and curling gently. Her chest slowed with every breath, deep breaths in and long breaths out. Maura delicately pulled Jane's head up as to shower her face with kisses. First her cheeks then her nose and finally her lips. Here, she lingered, enjoying the soft feeling of Jane's lips against her own. She sighed into the kiss as Jane eased her hand out from in between their bodies and buried it in the sheets under Maura's arm, cradling her close. The skin on skin contact was delicious – it quieted the ever racing thoughts in her mind. If she could harness the feeling she felt at that exact moment for other instances she may require such a soothing repose, she would. Instead, she decided to lose herself in Jane's touches. Never had she experienced such sensuality and emotion in mere kisses and touches before. It was as though every caress of Jane's lips was imbued with such a vehement passion and happiness that caused her chest to swell. Suddenly, she was acutely aware of the words that had escaped her last night and couldn't help but wonder whether Jane had already fallen asleep or if she had heard them.

Jane had indeed heard Maura's words, however, she knew that for whatever reason Maura was not completely ready for Jane to and so she would play it as though she hadn't. She pulled away from the kiss and lazily gazed down into Maura's vibrant eyes. No matter how many times she found herself staring into her eyes, the myriad of hues that she found there never ceased to amaze her. She slowly allowed herself to fall onto her hip at Maura's side, keeping one arm draped over Maura's front, and one leg lightly blanketed the smaller woman's thighs. As if rehearsed, Maura adjusted one of her arms to wrap around Jane's shoulders, and the other reached down, splaying her fingers across Jane's thigh.

Jane buried into Maura's warm side, her head resting on her upper arm as if it were a pillow. She breathed in deeply, and sighed before breaking the silence.

"I could get used to this," she meekly admitted, closing her eyes as she felt the warm rays of the sun shining through the big windows flanking the room.

For Maura, the post-sex cuddling was not something she was accustomed to. It definitely wasn't something she had imagined she could ever enjoy but here with Jane's warm body pressed gently into her side and wrapped in her embrace, her previous thoughts were being broken down and proven false.

"So could I," she found herself admitting, and the sincerity in her voice shook her as much as it did Jane.

"I'm a lot of firsts for you, aren't I?" Jane asked, genuinely intrigued, and not stating it as though it were a fact, a rhetorical question to which she already knew the answer. She tilted her head to look up as Maura turned hers to the side and cast her eyes down to sweep over Jane's features.

"You are…" she stated after a minute or so with a smile. The hand she had on Jane's thigh moved to find the one at her side. She linked her fingers with Jane's before bringing their hands up to her lips. She kissed the inside of Jane's wrist before whispering,

"Everything comes surprisingly easily with you, Jane."

A light laugh rang out from Maura as she noted the slender perk of Jane's eyebrow at her words.

"I don't know how to explain it. I never felt like I belonged anywhere. I always felt like an outsider. I rarely felt as though I fit in and you already know how socially awkward I can be…"

"I find all of that extremely endearing, Maur. I wouldn't change any of it."

Maura had begun to absent-mindedly run her thumb down the inside of Jane's palm, her fingers playing with Jane's. She soon realized that being tender, loving, and caring was easier than speaking about it. Baby steps, she reminded herself.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that… with you I finally feel as though I belong. Everything about being with you after acknowledging that fact seems to come naturally."

"You guess, eh?" Jane asked playfully.

Maura narrowed her eyes at Jane before leaning in and lightly kissing the corner of her mouth as a smile struggled to break across her own.

"Yeah, I guess."

Jane couldn't suppress the grin that broke out on her lips as she pried her hand from Maura's and reached out, resting it against the blonde's still flushed cheek, pulling herself closer as she leaned up to kiss Maura.

"I'll accept that," she murmured against soft red lips.

"Will you?" Maura playfully retorted between kisses, turning her body to face Jane's.

"Mmhmm," Jane snaked her hand to the nape of Maura's neck and held her close.

"We're not leaving this bed, are we?" Maura managed to ask as she wrapped her arm around Jane, resting her hand flatly between her shoulder blades.

"Not if I can help it."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ A trip to Chateau d'If brings about some repressed issues for Jane.

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**_A/N:_**Once again, I find myself apologizing for such a lull between updates. I blame the ridiculously mind numbing heat wave that has engulfed my city. I couldn't be bothered to sit at my laptop and type away an update while I am melting. I, unfortunately, have no A/C and this humidity has just been absolutely gnarly. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this update. Keep the reviews coming. I absolutely love them. :)

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The days spent in Marseille seemed to slip by at break neck speed. Their days were filled with sightseeing, little cafes, adorable shops, and monuments, after monuments. Jane knew the joy it gave Maura to show her about the city and its surroundings and so she allowed her to do so. To no surprise, this was how she found herself seated aboard one of the many boats heading towards the Chateau d'If and the Island of Frioul. Maura sat next to her with her body slightly turned so that she could gaze out the window as the boat left the dock.

"Did you know that this boat was named after Jean-Paul de Saumeur? He was often referred to as Chevalier Paul though. He was an admiral and made a name for himself by serving in several Mediterranean campaigns."

Jane looked over to Maura who hadn't even flinched, her gaze unwavering as she spewed out facts. She often wondered what it must be like for Maura, to constantly have all that knowledge floating about, to sometimes have to curb the outbursts.

"Is that so?"

Maura slowly pulled her eyes away from the window and settled them on Jane. With a gentle tilt of her head and a small smile, she replied,

"Yes and it's also presumed that his father was Paul de Fortia, the governor of Chateau d'If at the time."

"Presumed? Sounds scandalous."

Maura turned to sit with her back to the window, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap.

"I would assume so. His mother was a laundress."

Jane wiggled her eyebrows in a comedic matter, according her a gentle slap to the knee.

"What? Governor sleeping with the laundress. I'm sure it was the talk of the island. Everyone was gossiping about it back in the day," she offered, hands held in front of her in a surrender gesture. Jane ignored the look Maura shot her way and twisted to look out the window. She peeked around trying to catch a glimpse of the castle. She'd seen it plenty of times since she'd arrived but it is such a different experience to view something as you approach it than from a far away shore where it seems like a little miniature model version of the real structure.

"I think you'll really enjoy Chateau d'If. I mean, you've been more than compliant the past couple of days… what with allowing me to take you everywhere. I just love experiencing all these places that I've loved for so long through your eyes."

Once satisfied with the ever growing castle, Jane returned upright in her seat and settled her eyes back on Maura. She found it amusing how easily Maura shifted from English to pronouncing French words with the appropriate accent. It seemed so effortless for her.

"You are like my personal tour guide but you know…" she winked before continuing, "with added benefits."

"Jane! You are insufferable!" Maura hissed, crossing her arms over her stomach and leaning back into her chair.

Jane chuckled. She loved ruffling Maura's feathers and it was always in good fun. She enjoyed the way Maura's cheeks would puff up with air before she'd blow it out in an exasperated and forced sigh.

"So, tell me more about this castle."

That reeled Maura back in. Jane noted that her eyes lit up as she turned to face her. She placed her hands palm down against the top of her thighs before beginning.

"Well, it was immortalized in Alexandre Dumas' 'Count of Monte Cristo'. Have you ever read it?"

The look that Jane gave Maura answered her question and she simply shook her head,

"It doesn't matter. It was originally built on the orders of King Francis the First as a fortress to defend against attacks by sea. It was somewhat pointless as the fortress itself was never engaged in any battles. Some have even speculated that it was built to subdue Marseille and its unruly citizens after it joined France. Due to its location on the small island and the strong currant, it became a prison similar to how Alcatraz was used much later off the coast of San Francisco."

A voice announced their arrival at the island of If as the boat slowly pulled into the docking area. Maura reached out and placed a hand on Jane's thigh,

"Just wait. Everyone is going to stand up and it'll just be simpler if we just remain seated and wait."

"Aye aye, Captain," Jane replied before casting her eyes downwards as she slipped her hand under Maura's and slowly intertwined their fingers. Her thumb lightly caressing Maura's as her fingers closed down on her hand. Maura dropped her gaze to their hands and smiled,

"Did you know that a professor at the University of Virginia did a study on hand holding? The results showed that hand holding, even when done with a stranger, helps us to cope with and even reduce stress."

"Really? Just holding hands does that?" Jane queried with raised eyebrows.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Maura's voiced hitched with the last words as it often did when she stated something but didn't seek an answer.

Jane nodded as she watched individuals walk by and disembark the boat. Her eyes lifting up as she drank in the monument they were about to visit.

"Did anyone ever escape?"

Maura whipped her head back, the sudden shift in subject surprised her.

"Sorry?"

"From the castle. Did anyone ever escape while imprisoned there?"

Jane watched as Maura delicately scrunched her nose as she thought. She cast a glance over her shoulder at the castle behind them before returning her attention to Jane.

"Edmond Dantes is the only one every talked about but he was Dumas' protagonist and therefore fictional. We can always find out in a few minutes."

Maura stood up and slowly relinquished Jane's hand, her fingers lingering briefly before taking a step towards the exit. Jane quickly followed, immediately missing the comforting warmth of Maura's hand in hers and seeking it out once more.

"Are you telling me that you don't know?" Jane teased with a grin which vanished as soon as Maura shot her a look over her shoulder.

"No. I'm just not certain and instead of venturing a guess, I am offering a temporary fix until I am sure."

Once Maura looked way, the smile on Jane's face was back and she wasted no time in saying in a sing-song voice,

"Maura Isles doesn't know!"

Despite knowing that Jane's taunting was good natured, Maura couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Warmth flushed her face as she puffed out air and defiantly pushed out her chin as they stepped off the boat. Jane quickly caught up to her and sighed,

"C'mon, Maur. You know I'm just teasing."

Maura's expression didn't waver as she coolly expressed,

"I may know many things, Jane, but one is never finished learning and I am not ashamed to admit that there are things beyond my knowledge."

Jane fought the smile pulling at the corner of her lips as she reached out and slowly hooked Maura's pinky with hers.

"I know, Maur… it's just you're so easy to rile up," Jane started before pausing. She needed to tread carefully in case Maura was truly hurt by her teasing. She didn't want to upset the mood for the rest of the day. She took the fact that Maura didn't pull her hand away as a good sign. Before she had the chance to reply, Maura spoke up in a cool even tone,

"And I like the way your voice goes all soft and weak when you say my name like that."

Maura looked over to Jane and offered an innocent smile. Jane's mouth hung slightly open as it registered with her that she'd fallen right into that trap and had done exactly what Maura had wanted her to do. Well played, she thought as she reached out with her free hand and gently pushed Maura as she exclaimed,

"Maura!"

The blonde allowed her body to move with the gentle push before regaining her balance as they approached the set of wide and twisty stairs that lead to the castle. They began climbing the steps and fell silent until they reached the top of the stairs. Automatically, they joined the queue to get their tickets for the tour.

As they waited, Jane looked around them, at the scenery, the people gathered, their interactions, everything. She took in absolutely all there was to know about her surroundings. She was brought back into the moment when Maura's gentle fingers wrapped around her wrist and pulled her forward as the line moved. Finally, they reached the front and Maura requested two tickets and hurriedly paid the cost before Jane had a chance to pull out her wallet.

"Maura," she huffed, eyeing the blonde as she handed Jane her admission ticket.

"Jane…" came Maura's immediate reply.

"Maura…" Jane repeated herself, hoping the tone of her voice indicated her displeasure.

With a light tilt of her head and a small lift of her shoulders, Maura turned to head into the castle to begin their tour. Jane rolled her eyes and followed.

"I don't mind, Jane. You should just get used to it," Maura shot over her shoulder in a soft voice, wishing to assuage Jane's discontent with her actions. Jane forced a pout before attempting to explain herself,

"It's… it's not that… I guess it never really hit me until this trip just how different our backgrounds are."

"Economically, you mean?"

"Yeah, sure."

Maura frowned, reaching out for Jane's hands and pulling her off to a more isolated area that offered them some privacy. She couldn't let this just fester inside of Jane. She wouldn't let their economic differences get in the way.

"Jane, listen to me… it doesn't matter. We don't have a choice what family we are born into or which parents adopt us. It's out of our hands. Sure, it affects who we are and I appreciate the hardships you've had to go through, and I adore your family. You were blessed with a mother who meddles into every aspect of your life and who smothers you with love. In contrast, I may have had a cushy upbringing but I didn't have parents who expressed their love as naturally and openly as your parents. There are positives and negatives to both and I want… no, I _need _you to understand that I like you for who you are… Jane Rizzoli, the entire package. You wouldn't be you if you didn't lead the life that you do."

Jane felt her face grow warm and kept her eyes down towards the ground between their feet as Maura spoke. She breathed in deeply and waited a few seconds after Maura was finished to see whether she was really finished or simply pausing for dramatic effect. She slowly pulled her eyes up to scan Maura's face. Her features were relaxed, her eyes soft and her lips pulled upwards in a small smile. Jane chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to buy herself some time before saying anything. She lightly sighed before saying,

"I'm buying dinner and there's nothing you can say about it."

"Typical," Maura muttered before breaking out into a full grin.

She'd grown accustomed to Jane's humour when cornered into a serious moment. She recognized that it wasn't Jane running away from the issue but her way of accepting it. At first, it frustrated Maura because she thought that Jane was simply being evasive and didn't want to discuss the problem. After some time, Maura finally understood that Jane wasn't much for long drawn out conversations but that didn't mean that she wasn't internally going over it. Maura would notice differences in her mannerisms or would note the tone in Jane's voice, or the words she chose to say after one of these tense moments.

She leaned in and quickly pecked Jane on the cheek,

"Fine. You can pay for dinner."

Jane triumphantly smirked, her shoulders lifting. The issue would need revisiting but she didn't want to put a damper on their entire day or the rest of the vacation. It wasn't the type of problem that would simply disappear overnight. It was deeply ingrained into every fiber of their beings and shaped who they were, as Maura so nicely put it.

"And I get to pick the place."

"Jane…"

"I get to pick the place," she repeated, her tone more demanding the second time around.

Maura offered a dramatic sigh as if capitulating,

"You get to pick the place."

Relinquishing was far worth it upon seeing Jane's face light up. Jane grabbed Maura's hand and nodded towards the inside of the castle,

"Let's see what this decrepit building has to offer."

Maura was about to protest Jane's choice of words but kept her mouth shut as she allowed herself to be gently pulled along.

Most individuals who visit le Chateau d'If complete the self guided walking tour in an hour or so, however, most individuals aren't accompanied by Maura. Despite not knowing for sure whether any prisoner had ever escaped the walls of If, Maura was a well of information on anything else regarding to the castle. She'd often lean in and whisper additional information into Jane's ear as they walked through the castle. They finished their tour by going up to the roof of the castle and looking out at the coast of Marseille. The view was absolutely spectacular, unlike any Jane had ever seen. Scenery rarely ever shook Jane to her core but experiencing this view in the company of Maura was an altogether different experience. She couldn't quite ascribe words to how she felt and decided to stop trying altogether and simply let it wash over her. She wished that she could stay in that moment but unfortunately she knew they had to come down from the roof, and with that come down from this natural high.

The feeling, however, remained with her for the remainder of the day and she would try to hold onto it for as long as possible. They decided to leisurely walk through the streets of Marseille after disembarking the boat. There was something to be said about having no particular destination in mind. It was such a liberating feeling. Jane would occasionally point out a potential restaurant which would either get a nod of approval from Maura or a delicately scrunched nose and a shake of her head. Despite having been given the opportunity to choose their dining locale, Jane still sought Maura's approval and she was confident that eventually, they would come across a restaurant that pleased both of them. It was on this walk with no particular destination that Jane came to realize that part of the wonderful and lighthearted feeling she felt overwhelm her on the roof of the castle was directly linked to Maura. It had been there, bubbling below the surface and it had just taken the coupling of Maura's miraculous words and a breathtaking scenery to push it to the surface. She definitely never wanted to let this feeling go.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:** _Late night conversations push Jane into uncharted and uncomfortable territory.

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_**A/N:** _I am absolutely sorry that this has taken so long to update. I wanted to post before I left for the long weekend (I generally don't really do anything special for Canada Day but I went out to the cottage this year). I've decided to split this up into two. Originally, the topic of conversation was going to be fully explored in this one chapter but it didn't end up writing itself that way. I've decided to use this as a little teaser/foreshadowing to a later conversation. I hope you enjoy! Once again, thank you so much for the reviews. I very much appreciate each and every one of them. If you don't review but read, I appreciate you reading regardless! :)

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On their last night in Marseille, Jane found herself alone in their hotel room. She had just finished devouring a hamburger which she had ordered from room service. Stretched out on the bed, and staring up at the ceiling, she lost herself in thought. Maura had gone out to dine at a plush restaurant in the company of her parents and some of their work colleagues. She had insisted that Jane join them but Jane politely declined and urged Maura to go and enjoy her parents' company. Maura had quickly begun explaining how it wasn't necessary that she dine with them and suggested that they could go elsewhere on their own but Jane had reasoned that if spending time with her parents meant that Maura had to dine with them and work colleagues then that is what she should do and that she would be there waiting for her when she returned. She reinforced the fact that this was their last evening in Marseille, Maura's last evening with her parents and that soon they would find themselves back in Boston.

And she did just that. Wait.

When Maura finally returned from dinner, she found Jane sleeping sprawled out on the bed. She beamed as she slid out of her jacket and tossed it on a nearby chair. As she made her way to stand next to the bed, she stepped out of her shoes and continued to silently pad towards Jane. She leaned down and hovered upside down over Jane. She pressed her lips against Jane's forehead as she settled her hands on either side of her shoulders.

"Hmm, Jane, wake up," she whispered as she brushed the tip of her nose down the bridge of Jane's.

Jane jerked awake and calmed when she processed that it was simply Maura. She pushed her head back, lightly squishing her nose against Maura's and moving her head side to side in an Eskimo kiss fashion.

"Hey," she rasped, her voice dripping with sleep, "How was dinner?"

Maura grazed her lips along the bridge of Jane's nose as she moved to capture Jane's lips with hers. Kissing upside down was awkward and Maura briefly broke off the kiss as a small laugh escaped her lips. Jane's hands reached up over her head and crawled up the length of Maura's arms and rested on her biceps.

"You taste sweet…" Jane mumbled, her fingers gently digging into Maura's arms. She tipped her head back into the bed in an attempt to taste Maura's lips again. The blonde smirked and teasingly pulled back before whispering,

"I had some wine with dinner."

"Red?" Jane closed her eyes, running her tongue over her bottom lip, savouring the remnants of the taste of Maura's mouth on hers.

"Not enough to make me weepy," Maura spoke lightly against Jane's lips before gliding the tip of her tongue along the plumpness of Jane's lower lip. Maura found it incredibly hard to resist teasing Jane just after she'd woken up. There was always a certain innocence and slow registering process in Jane as she attempted to shake off the sleepy haze while responding to Maura's gestures. Maura bent at the elbows as she leaned down into the kiss. She gently sucked on Jane's lower lip, straightening her arms and pulling away, releasing her lip with a soft 'pop'. Jane remained on her back, her eyes closed as she felt Maura's arms slip out of her grasp. She groaned, hearing Maura move about the room.

"Marseille has spoiled me in more ways than one," she admitted.

Maura cast a glance towards Jane as she peeled off every item of clothing except her underwear before slipping on one of Jane's t-shirts that doubled as a pajama top. She settled in the middle of the floor before slowly sliding into the child's pose. With her forehead gently against the floor, she addressed Jane's statement.

"Why do you say that?"

She heard Jane shift on the bed but didn't look up.

"Seriously, Maur?"

Maura looked up and slowly opened one eye to look at Jane who was now sprawled out on her stomach with her arms hanging over the edge of the bed.

"Your t-shirts are much comfier, Jane."

Jane rolled her eyes dramatically at the fact that Maura missed the point completely. It didn't bother her at all that Maura wore her clothes without asking. As a matter of fact, she thought it was adorable. Jane couldn't focus as her eyes roamed Maura's body.

"That's not it," she mumbled, half heartedly as her mouth suddenly went dry watching the blonde transition into downward dog.

Maura breathed out deeply, her words coming out with her breath.

"What is it then?"

She allowed for her head to hang gently between her shoulders as she breathed in and exhaled evenly. Jane had never been a fan of yoga. She'd never tried it but as she watched Maura stretch out in front of her, she began re-evaluating her stance on it.

"You're doing all these stretchy poses in nothing but a t-shirt, _my _t-shirt, and underwear… after kissing me awake. I'm sorry if my mind is a little distracted."

Maura laughed and not so gracefully stepped out of her downward dog to look at Jane who rolled over on to her back and allowed for her head to lull over the edge of the bed with her arms. She made no attempt to mask how she was currently devouring Maura with her eyes.

"Maybe yoga isn't so bad after all," she jested.

"You should try it. The benefits to both body and mind are incredibly rewarding."

"Mmhmm… well I'm sure I'll come to appreciate the flexibility it has granted you."

Maura sighed with the realization that she was certainly not going to accomplish much in the matter of stretching out her lower back tonight. She could feel the tension building and resigned to doing a lengthy routine after the long flight back to Boston. Or perhaps, she would be able to sneak in a quick routine in the morning while Jane still slept prior to leaving for the airport. Despite this, she smirked as her eyes took in all of Jane. The way she hung off the side of the bed, how her arms just dangled loosely, her knuckles touching the floor. She looked rather comical yet the darkness in Jane's eyes and the way she was eyeing her caused a familiar feeling to grow in her abdomen and bloom outwards. She bit her lower lip and attempted to will it away with little success. She breathed in deeply and sat back down on the floor in the locus position.

"What are you thinking about right now?" she asked playfully, closing her eyes.

She tried to relax her face but her lips curled upwards hearing Jane groan. She was attempting to distract Jane but more so herself.

"Indulge me, Jane. Be completely frank, don't hold back."

She straightened her back, resting her wrists on her knees.

"I was thinking how you are going to get through this without me distracting you every second."

Maura tsk'ed and once again opened one eye to look at Jane.

"I don't believe you. Before that… what were you thinking about?"

Maura closed her eyes once more. She had an idea as to what had been running through Jane's head but she was attempting to coerce Jane into voicing those thoughts out loud. Maura had never been shy about discussing sex. It was natural and to enjoy it was just as normal as the act itself. Discussing it helped in pushing it to the next level. However, she had not expected Jane to be so blunt on their first go around at openly discussing it. Her voice was low, the cadence even and slow, her words punctuated appropriately. They shook Maura, resonating deep within her and coursing down to her core.

"The different ways I could fuck you."

A shiver ran down Maura's spine as various images passed through her mind. She swallowed hard and tried to keep her composure as she followed up with a request to elaborate.

"Tell me about them."

"Maura…"

Her name slipping past Jane's lips in such a tone caused her to momentarily lose her concentration. She quickly recovered by gently twisting her upper body to the left.

"You shouldn't be shy about sharing such things, Jane."

"Do we have to?"

Unraveling from her side twist, Maura quickly glanced towards Jane whose face was now contorted in what she could only assume was discomfort.

"Have you never discussed sex with previous partners?"

"Not really?" Jane replied with a little sarcasm, "I'm guessing you have."

"With the very few that stuck around, yes."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Jane retorted with a light chuckle.

"Because there has rarely ever been a topic that I shy away from and I firmly believe that talking about this promotes a healthier and more enjoyable sex life."

She stretched her legs out in front of her and leaned forward, her fingers reaching out and holding onto her feet.

"You're bored with me already, aren't you?" Jane feigned being hurt.

Maura gently lifted her head to shoot Jane a look. Her head gently dipped to the side as she offered a comforting smile.

"No, far from it. I'm genuinely curious, Jane. You are more experienced than I am when it comes to this. Indulge me."

Jane laughed the kind of laugh that emanates from deep within. She lifted from the bed a little as she laughed.

"What?" Maura asked innocently.

Jane flipped around and pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"I'm more experienced?" she shot out with a raised eyebrow.

"With women, Jane… and one night stands barely allow for much exploration or creativity as much as I may have tried to instigate it."

The fact that Maura had such a long string of casual encounters irked Jane and she attempted to squelch the jealousy that would bubble just below the surface when she thought of how all the men that had slept with Maura have felt her, experienced her, connected with her in a way that Jane could never physically do.

"I'm jealous of them," she blurted out and immediately wished that she didn't have such a bad case of verbal diarrhea. Most of the time, she didn't care. She never censored herself but when it came to admitting her feelings and when those were associated with Maura, she felt more reserved about them. She disliked being an open book when it came to her personal feelings.

"Of who?"

As intelligent as Maura was, Jane found herself wondering how she could be so oblivious sometimes.

"Those men… the ones you've slept with."

Maura came out of her bend and extended herself flat on her back. Her arms rested on her sides.

"You shouldn't be. They were insignificant."

She breathed in deeply and stilled her body but not her mind. Somewhat counterproductive but she would take whatever little she could squeeze in.

"I know that… but they've had you in a way that I will never be able to experience."

Jane frowned and brought her hands to her face, roughly rubbing at her forehead. How did Maura manage to always get her to be so open, so honest? She felt incredibly exposed, painfully raw. Maura rolled onto her side and pushed herself up onto her feet. She reached for the ceiling and wiggled her toes before taking a seat next to Jane on the bed.

"I know we haven't spoken about this but you aren't worried that I'll eventually grow tired of you, are you?"

Jane lifted her head and peeked through her fingers at Maura.

"It's not completely unfounded when you think about it. The ratio of women to men is incredibly disproportionate."

Maura reached out and pulled Jane's hands away from her face.

"Jane… there's no guarantee that you won't tire of me either. That's not something we can know for sure but if you are pitting yourself against the men of my past, sex shouldn't be factored in. I didn't suddenly wake up and decide that I was going to turn a new leaf and date women. It's you, and who you are. It wasn't your physical appearance that drew me in, it was your personality. The physicality of our relationship blossomed later. I've come to appreciate the soft contours of your body and your well developed musculature. It's an added bonus. Don't doubt yourself."

Jane breathed in deeply and was painfully aware of just how unsure of herself she was in this very moment. It was very unlike her to ever doubt herself. She was always overly confident in anything she took on. Her brothers always teased her that she had more swagger than they did. That she had hogged all the Rizzoli swagger being the eldest child, leaving them with none.

"I'm usually not like this. I've always been rather confident in my abilities to sexually please but then again…" she was unsure how to phrase herself or whether she should even continue.

"Talk to me. This is why I wanted to talk about this. I don't know about you but I have questions. This is all very new territory for me. Reading can only provide so much information."

Jane cracked a smile at Maura's last comment.

"Figures you of all people would read up on this. Anything interesting?"

Maura waggled her eyebrows playfully which made Jane smile again.

"Hmm, yes. Very informative."

"Pray tell," Jane urged Maura on, enjoying that the conversation had organically shifted from her to Maura. This she could definitely partake in. Maura adjusted her seating position, allowing herself to sink into a more comfortable position.

"You really shouldn't be jealous of the men I've slept with because you have me both on a physical and emotional level. They never had that… besides, they have harnesses and phallus shaped objects for women. I have no doubt that you will be able to keep up with my sexual appetite."

Jane stared at Maura with her mouth agape.

"I've been doing well so far," she began and was rewarded with a small contented smirk from Maura, "and if we are going to talk about this, we aren't going to call them phallus shaped objects."

Maura stared at Jane which made the brunette wonder if she was purposely remaining silent to force her to say it herself as a way of breaking the ice, getting her to be a little more comfortable about discussing this. Jane hissed,

"Dildo, Maura. Call it a dildo."

Maura wrinkled her nose and shook her head,

"That sounds so vulgar."

Jane looked up to the ceiling and sighed before returning her attention to Maura,

"What you do with one isn't exactly innocent or pure, Maur."

"Speaking from experience, Jane?" Maura asked, her inflection indicating that she was being playful. The mood now light and casual, Jane could hardly resist getting caught up in the playfulness as she replied with a smirk,

"Maybe."

Maura felt her face flush with that mental imagine, an uncomfortable warmth surging between her thighs. She stretched out her legs and allowed herself to fall back, her eyes resting on the ceiling.

"I find that extremely arousing."

Perhaps it was Maura's willingness to be so completely and utterly open that created a sense of comfort in Jane. She was unsure of the reasons why she never felt comfortable discussing this topic but it wasn't as if she had ever really had a willing partner who egged her on as Maura did. Before she could even process her thoughts, the words were spilling out of her mouth,

"I… uh, I've only ever given."

Maura turned her head to the side to look at Jane. The way in which Jane would flip flop between confidence and insecurity amazed her. Before having the opportunity to get to know Jane better, Maura had unknowingly pegged her as the 'all too confident and boastful' type. Quite to the contrary of her tough exterior, Maura came to notice and appreciate the small glimpses of Jane's insecure and shy side.

"You've never..." she began asking surprised.

Jane cut her off before she could finish,

"No, never."

Chocolate brown sought out hazel hoping for some kind of reaction but Maura's face didn't flinch and her eyes revealed nothing also. Jane shifted and stretched out too, gently resting her head on Maura's stomach. Immediately, she felt the small body beneath her stiffen at the sudden contact but Maura soon relaxed as Jane settled down, tilting her head to the side to look up at Maura.

"It's a trust thing… I think. I like being in control and to reverse that, to take that control away… it's frightening. I just… I don't know how it would feel to be in such a vulnerable position."

Maura stilled her breathing, taking in shorter breaths with the weight of Jane's head on her stomach.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be that way… the being vulnerable part. I believe that's simply a state of mind," Maura spoke slowly as she reached down and ran her fingers through Jane's curls.

"Maybe it's just the way my ma used to talk about it growing up… before she realized that I wouldn't be giving away my 'virtue', as she used to call it, to any man. It's not even the idea of purity that I hold on to. I really think it's about trust and maybe I'm a little bit afraid."

Maura propped herself up with her elbows and settled her eyes on Jane. The lanky brunette had closed her eyes as Maura had readjusted herself and had an eerily serene look on her face considering the discomforting one that had plastered her face moments ago. She shifted her weight onto one arm and extended the other to resume running her fingers through Jane's long brown locks.

"My parents never brought it up. I don't know if it's because they just assumed I would have already read up about it or whether they didn't believe it was important," she paused and breathed in deeply, "We don't need to talk about this if it makes you uncomfortable."

Jane lazily opened her eyes and looked over to Maura. She remained quiet for a brief moment before offering a small smile.

"It's all right. Being a little uncomfortable doesn't always have to be a bag thing, right?"

Jane replied, attempting to convince herself more than anything.

"I would have to agree with you, Jane. I often find myself in uncomfortable situations or conversations but I attribute that to my social awkwardness. If we are being truthful though, I thought that I'd fail to meet your expectations due to my inexperience…"

Maura caught the look that Jane shot her and she quickly added, "with women."

Jane twisted onto her side and pushed herself up to be at Maura's level. She locked eyes with the honey blonde and kept her gaze for a moment. Maura didn't look away and merely swallowed a knot in her throat. Sometimes, the intensity in Jane's stares gave Maura the feeling that her gaze could bore down into her very being and see her inner most private feelings and thoughts. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

"You, Maura, have absolutely nothing to worry about in that regard," Jane assured her with an impish smirk. Pride swelled inside of Maura with Jane's words of reassurance and she felt her face flush just as Jane's lips covered hers. Maura smiled into the kiss before briefly pulling back to whisper,

"Neither do you."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary:**_ More than several surprises await Jane and Maura on their return from Marseille.

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**_A/N:_**I find myself apologizing a lot lately for the lengthy waits between updates. Once again, I apologize profusely. I've just been in a really weird head space and just haven't been in the mood to write. Now that I've gotten this update out of the way, I hope the updates will flow a little more easily and it won't be like pulling teeth. Thank you for the reviews and thank you for your ever growing patience if you've stuck through to this point. I hope you enjoy this update.

* * *

Jane was woken up by one of the air stewardesses with a gentle shake to her shoulder and a warning that they would be landing soon. She straightened up, picking her head up from the crown of Maura's. The blonde remained undisturbed and continued to sleep fitfully on her shoulder. Their flight was scheduled to touch down at Logan in the early hours of the morning and Jane had specifically told her mother not to bother picking them up as it would be too early. As much as she hoped it wasn't the case, she knew her mother and this had gone through one ear and out the other. Jane looked down at Maura as she continued to sleep; her features were so peaceful. Hesitantly, Jane reached out and brushed her fingertips down Maura's cheek. The pale skin was warm under her fingers and at the contact, Maura's brow furrowed and her nose wrinkled. She swatted at her face in her sleep making Jane laugh lightly. Maura had gone and done something that had completely and utterly taken Jane by surprise. The brunette was uncertain as to when the other woman had gone about and made these changes but she had been shocked when Maura had joined her in economy and made herself comfortable in the seat just next to Jane. Marseille to Rome had been enjoyable and Maura had the pleasure of enjoying Jane's Italian during their layover. The second half of their trip was more tedious and exhausting. An hour or so into the flight, Jane had noticed that Maura was struggling to keep her head up and her eyes open. She had ensured that the arm rest between them was completely pushed back before pulling Maura in close to her side. It hadn't been long before Jane found herself drifting off also, her head slowly feeling heavier and heavier until her cheek rested on the top of Maura's head.

"Maur… wake up," Jane cooed.

Maura stirred but didn't wake. Jane shifted in her seat, reaching out with both arms and softly gripping Maura's arms to steady her as she slipped her shoulder out from under Maura's head.

"Maura," Jane repeated a little louder this time.

Jane rarely found herself having to wake Maura up. She was usually the one woken up by Maura and Maura had such a delicate way of going about pulling her slowly from the deep dregs of sleep. Maura lazily lifted her head and looked over to Jane with sleepy eyes. She glanced down in front of her and stretched as much as she could with the bit of leg room she was granted.

"I'm sorry for falling asleep on you," she apologized meekly, finishing up with a delicate smile.

"Well, I'm sorry for using your head as a pillow," Jane grinned, nudging her knee against Maura's gently.

"Was I a good pillow?"

"The best."

This little snippet of a side of Maura that Jane had yet to witness was at par with finding a four leaf clover. Jane was cherishing every adorable moment of it from the disoriented look on Maura's face as she slowly came to process where she was, to the delicate blush of her cheeks that came with the realization that she'd slept the entire flight on Jane's shoulder. Maura leaned forward to peek outside the window and then settled back into her seat.

"Did they say how long we have before we land?"

Jane chanced a glance at her watch before shifting in her seat. Long flights and her definitely did not mesh well.

"I think maybe twenty minutes or so. I am so ready to get off this plane," she grumbled.

Jane tilted her head to one side than the other, trying to get rid of the stiffness in her neck. Maura pulled her purse up onto her lap and shuffled through it for a minute before extracting a compact mirror. Jane watched silently as Maura examined herself in the mirror. The blonde leaned forward in her seat, inching closer to the small compact she held still up in front of her. She ran her fingertips under her eyes and pinched her cheeks. She set the compact down to root through her purse once more. She withdrew a small tube of lipgloss and busied herself with applying a small amount to her lips as she resumed looking at her reflection in the mirror. Jane rapidly averted her eyes when she noticed that Maura had been looking at her through the mirror. With a delicate click the compact was closed and returned to her purse.

"My place or yours?"

Neither of them had verbally hinted that they would be spending what was left of the night together, it was simply a silent agreement that they wouldn't be going their separate ways after debarking the plane. Maura had yet to spend the night at Jane's and she understood the rationale behind it. Jane still lived at home and despite having the entire basement to herself, the amount of privacy wasn't the same compared to that which Maura's loft offered. She knew what Jane's answer would be but she always went about asking just the same. She slowly smiled at the look Jane shot her. She knew that would happen also.

"Yours," came Jane's answer. It was a simple one word answer that spoke much more than what was uttered. Maura could hear the 'seriously' ringing in her ears that she knew Jane really wanted to say.

"Fair enough. I just thought I would ask," Maura stated sweetly, her tone soft and her words measured.

"You can spend the night at my place when I have one," Jane sarcastically pointed out just as the pilot's voice began to resonate on the loud speaker announcing their descent into Boston.

It took far longer than Jane would have liked for the plane to be taxied into the gate and for them to finally walk off the plane. Everything and everyone seemed to be going at a snail's pace and all she wanted to do was get off the plane, curl up in bed with Maura and sleep far too long into the late morning, maybe even early afternoon. She willed the man in front of her to go faster as they queued up in the small aisle to get off the plane. Regardless of how hard she encouraged him to walk faster in her mind, he did not walk any faster despite not having anyone in front of him for several feet. When they finally cleared the plane and breeched the corridor leading to the inside of the airport, Jane let out a relieved sigh,

"Later that same day," she mumbled under her breath.

The man shot her a glare over his shoulder before disappearing to the left once they exited the corridor. Jane narrowed her eyes at his back as he receded into the distance and immediately softened when she felt Maura's hand grasp her elbow. She looked over to Maura and felt her entire body just melt under her soft and steady gaze. All her extremities began to tingle and a comfortable warmth spread throughout her body. Once again, she found herself mesmerized by those eyes and the softness that they held. It consistently surprised her just how much Maura's eyes spoke to her, especially knowing how reserved the blonde was with her emotions, with her thoughts, and with her actions.

"What's the rush?" Maura asked playfully as she slipped her arm into Jane's and pulled herself close.

"No rush because as soon as we hit customs, the entire flight is going to be there," Jane replied sourly.

They walked silently through the airport heading towards their assigned carousel to wait for their luggage. Maura had cleverly marked their individual pieces with colourful strips of material tied around the handles so that they wouldn't be reaching for ever similar looking piece of luggage thinking it was theirs. As soon as luggage began spilling out onto the carousel, Jane had no problems spotting hers. Of course, Maura had several more pieces than her and it took longer to gather up all of her luggage. Maura stood their oblivious to all the looks of exasperation Jane was shooting her way as she stood counting her pieces to ensure she had every one of them.

"Rallying the troops… got them all, Maur?"

Maura looked up and perked a slender brow, sliding one hand to her hip.

"Yes, Jane. I have them all," she puffed out.

"Good," she quickly turned around without warning and headed off in the opposite direction. Maura stood surrounded by their luggage with a confused look on her face. She watched as Jane rounded a corner, disappearing all together from her sight and reappearing a few minutes later with a luggage cart.

"Definitely wasn't going to be lugging all of those on our own," she gestured wildly at the entirety of their luggage and began loading all of it onto the carrier. Once all of their pieces were loaded, Jane began pushing the luggage trolley down in the direction they had to head for customs. She could only imagine what Maura was claiming from all the shopping she knew the other woman had done during her stay in France. Jane, on the other hand, hadn't bought much. She'd picked up a few souvenirs and a few gifts for her parents and brothers. She hadn't been to visit Tommy in a long time, so long actually that she couldn't remember the last time she'd gone. As much as she hated his guts for all the stress and pain he put their parents through, she still loved him because he was blood. It was the type of love that didn't emanate from anywhere but the mere fact that they were related. She hadn't even broached the subject with Maura at length yet. Maura knew that Jane had two brothers and she'd heard mention of Tommy but nothing of substance. Jane was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't even realize that they'd queued up for customs and had quickly made their way to the front of the line. Maura gently nudged her forward and she pressed onwards with Maura on her heels. Normally, Jane would have protested and pointed out that they should go through customs separately but they were traveling together and Jane was pushing all of Maura's belongings after all.

The officer gave them an odd look as they both automatically handed over their passports, travel itineraries and custom papers that had been filled out on the plane. Maura had taken the initiative to acquire the custom forms before they had even boarded. She had to persuade some airport workers but she had procured two copies for herself and Jane. Jane both loved and hated how organized Maura was. She loved it because she could rest assured that if there were ever any issues, Maura would be on top of everything. She hated it because it make her painfully aware of how disorganized she was. They had no issues getting through customs; the regular questions were asked once the customs officer stopped staring them down and got to questions. Jane accredited their quick slip through customs to Maura's initiative but she wouldn't say it aloud.

Jane stopped dead in her tracks as the pushed through towards the exit.

"Ma?"

Maura ended up walking directly into Jane, causing the taller of the two to lurch forward over the luggage carrier.

"I'm so sorry, Jane. You just stopped walking," Maura quickly exclaimed as she pulled herself off the other woman and stepped to the side.

"Missus Rizzoli!" Maura expressed with surprise as she spotted Jane's mother who was accompanied by Frankie.

"Enough with the Missus already! You're practically family now."

Jane stepped out from behind the trolley and was immediately enveloped in her mother's arms in a big bear hug. She eyed Frankie over Angela's shoulder and he simply shrugged his shoulders and lifted his palms up to the ceiling as he apologetically looked at her.

"She wouldn't take no for an answer. You know how she is."

"Mmmhmm. Ma, I told you not to bother. It's like…" she wiggled out of her mother's arms and looked at her watch.

"It's 3 in the morning, Ma. You really shouldn't have."

"Oh, Jane, stop worrying. It's nothing. Your pop wanted to come but you know how he gets without his sleep."

Maura simply stood by as she often did in these types of situations involving Jane's family. Not because she felt like an outsider but because she relished the fact that she could put herself outside of the situation and admire their family dynamics.

"How was she, Maura? Did Jane behave herself?" Angela turned to pull Maura into a hug that she had not anticipated and stiffened a little in Angela's arms.

"Seriously?" Jane huffed as she scowled at her mother. All of this made Maura laugh lightly before she leaned back from Angela to reassure her.

"No need to worry, you won't be receiving any calls from the French Police."

Angela grinned proudly,

"That's my girl. Come on, let's get you ladies home. You must be exhausted."

Mrs. Rizzoli ushered them forward and gently linked arms with Maura, pulling the blonde along with her.

"You have quite the number of suitcases, Maura," Angela noted in hushed tones as they slipped further ahead of Jane and Frankie who followed behind with their luggage. Jane grinned as she heard Maura begin to explain why she had so many pieces. She pressed her forearms down onto the trolley handlebar and leaned forward, keeping her eyes on her mother and her girlfriend.

"So, sis… France…" Frankie trailed off and Jane had to force herself to rip her eyes away from the sight in front of her. Frankie merely grinned at her before slowly raising an eyebrow.

"Frankie!" Jane shouted, knowing full well what he was insinuating.

"What's going on back there?" Angela mothered over her shoulder.

"Nothin', Ma. Frankie was just being Frankie," Jane quickly assuaged her mother.

"C'mon, Janie. Anyone with eyes who just saw the way you were looking at her would be able to figure it out. How was it?"

Jane leaned over and shoved her brother before settling back onto the handbar and grinning goofily.

"She's amazing, Frankie. I don't even know how to put it into words," she breathed.

"Oh, you've got it bad," Frankie teased as they slowly pulled up to their car.

"Got what bad?" Maura asked curiously, turning to face the siblings.

"Jetlag," Jane rapidly answered.

"Yeah, she's got a serious case of jetlag," Frankie chimed in and both Angela and Maura looked at them strangely. Maura kept her eyes on Jane and with a delicate tilt of her head narrowed her eyes just the slightest. She pursed her lips before turning to help load their luggage in the trunk. Angela stood watch, directing them how to insert the pieces into the trunk so that they would all fit properly. After several attempts, and several more minutes later, their luggage was safely stowed and they all piled into the car.

Unloading the car was a lot easier than loading it, and within minutes, they had managed to get everything into the lobby of the Rizzoli house. Angela and Frankie bid the girls good night and disappeared into their respective rooms.

"Guess we're spending the night here," Jane joked, standing by as Maura searched through her luggage for her toiletry kit. Upon finding it, she smiled triumphantly and stood up.

"There's a first time for everything, Jane. I would say it's about time also."

She slid past Jane and made her way down to her room without another word. Jane stood there with a look of disbelief on her face. She sighed and dragged her feet as she followed Maura down into her room.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jane asked a little hurt at Maura's previous comment as she stripped out of her clothes, threw on a ratty t-shirt and crawled into her bed. The sheets were crisp and she immediately knew that her mother had put on a new set. Normally, Jane would be annoyed by this because her mother hadn't made her bed in over a decade but the sentiment behind it was touching and she reveled in the feel of soft clean sheets. It was the thought that counted. She didn't care about pulling out a pair of pajamas; all she could think of was sinking into her mattress and pillows into a deep sleep. She turned onto her side and folded her pillow under her head, resting her cheek against it as she watched Maura slip in and out of her bathroom.

"What do you mean?" Maura asked after pulling her toothbrush out of her mouth for a moment. She rested her hip against the doorframe to the bathroom and continued to brush her teeth.

Jane closed her eyes and mumbled,

"The comment from upstairs."

She heard Maura step back into the bathroom and finish up before hearing the click of the light switch. She barely opened one eye and watched as Maura walked around Jane's room as if it was her own and that made Jane smile.

"I just don't understand why you've been so adamant about always staying at my place. I understand that you don't have much privacy here but that doesn't bother me," Maura explained as she changed into a pair of Jane's boxers and pulled one of Jane's old t-shirts over her head.

During their time in Marseille, they got accustomed to each other's morning and night routine. More so Maura's morning and night routine as Jane was low maintenance and all she really did was brush her teeth and sometimes throw a comb through her hair. However, they did learn the little ins and outs that they didn't get to witness when they only saw each other on a one day basis. Jane had spent the night, several nights at Maura's in fact, but never consecutively. Marseille had granted them an opportunity to truly embrace the other and a new sense of comfort enveloped them now. Jane was unsure of whether Maura had taken note of it but she certainly had and she definitely enjoyed it.

"Get the light," Jane waved towards the switch just as Maura approached the bed. The blonde quickly turned on her heels and flicked the light off. She crawled into the bed and turned onto her side to face Jane. She leaned in and quickly pecked her on the lips.

"We can exercise some self-control," she whispered as she shifted onto her other side and settled herself back against Jane. Maura grabbed Jane's hand and pulled the brunette's arm over her and brought their hands down to her chest. She wiggled about until her hips fit perfectly in the hollow created by Jane's.

"Says you," Jane rasped into Maura's ear and was instantly gratified with the goosebumps that spread across Maura's arms.

* * *

Jane woke up to a world of confusion. She was slightly disoriented and immediately panicked as she went to sit up but found herself weighed down. She looked down and spotted Maura curled up into her side with her head pressed to her chest. Upon seeing Maura, she began to calm down and soon came to realize that she was in her own bed, in her room. She breathed in deeply and stared blankly at the ceiling. Her mobility was hampered by the fact that Maura was currently using her upper arm and torso as a pillow and she attempted to shift but immediately froze when the sleeping blonde stirred. Wide eyed and looking at Maura, Jane tried to even still her breathing. She was unsure of what time it was and whether or not they'd slept through the entire day. She didn't quite care to be honest.

Maura curled her arm around Jane's front and grabbed a fistful of her t-shirt just above her ribs. She brushed her cheek against the soft worn cotton of Jane's t-shirt and mumbled to herself. She was balancing that tightrope between awake and asleep. She always marveled in that delicious moment before full consciousness hit.

"Maur…" Jane's voice rumbled and Maura couldn't fight the smile that cracked on her lips.

"Jane," she returned as she turned her head, resting her chin on Jane's chest and lazily opening her eyes.

Jane curled her free arm under her head and used it to prop herself up a little. She beamed down at Maura,

"Hi."

"Hi," Maura followed up hazily with a dopey smile.

Jane's smile grew even bigger as she took in Maura's messy hair and the sleepy fog that still covered her eyes. Her stomach felt as though it were twisting up into knots as she wondered just how she'd managed to get so lucky. Jane remained silent, the only audible noise was the contented sigh that escaped her lips as she kept her eyes on Maura.

"What?" Maura queried, bringing her cheek back down to rest on Jane's chest, breaking their gaze. Within a matter of seconds, her breathing had synchronized with Jane's steady and even breaths.

"It just hits me every now and then just how amazing you are," Jane murmured as she slipped her fingers under the hem of Maura's shirt and pressed the tips of her fingers gently into her back.

Maura had never been one for cuddling or perhaps she was a cuddly person who had never been given the opportunity to figure out that she was indeed inclined to innocent physical intimacy. She definitely was one when it came to molding her body to Jane's. The small height discrepancy between them benefitted greatly when they curled up together. Maura released the fabric she'd been holding between her fingers and slid her hand down Jane's side. Her fingers gently brushing against her ribs, and Maura instinctively counted them as her fingers passed over them.

"If I am amazing, it is only because you grant me the opportunity to be amazing," Maura whispered before tilting her head up to look at Jane.

Jane gave Maura a crooked smile,

"So, I should really be thanking myself?"

Maura gave a light laugh before pushing herself up just enough to graze her lips against Jane's.

"In part," she smiled against Jane's lips.

Maura still had her doubts and her moments of insecurity when it came to being in a relationship but Jane had a way of appeasing those doubts without even knowing she was doing it. Maura found it almost effortless some days to be with Jane, and she rationalized that being in a relationship should have its moments of ease. She couldn't pinpoint a particular characteristic of Jane's that allowed for this to happen because it wasn't just one but a combination of everything that made Jane who she was. Perhaps it was in part due to the fact that they come from completely opposite backgrounds and that their personalities couldn't be any more different that it simply clicked.

"I'll take it," Jane jokingly said before closing the distance between them and slowly kissing Maura.

Maura pulled herself up onto Jane as she pressed into the kiss. She slid down so that she was straddling Jane's hips with her hands firmly planted on either side of Jane's head, burying them into the pillows. Maura slowly pushed her tongue passed Jane's lips, eliciting a soft groan from Jane as their tongues met and languidly explored each other.

Several minutes passed as they lost themselves in each other, in slow brushes of lips against lips, in fingers digging into soft flesh. Jane pulled away, taking in a deep breath.

"Not here. Not here, we can't," she tried to stop her head from reeling and steady her breathing. Maura looked at her bewildered and the darkness in Maura's eyes and her swollen lips tugged at Jane's insides.

"I can be quiet," Maura assured her, dipping her head and kissing along Jane's neck up to her ear.

Jane closed her eyes tightly, groaning as Maura captured her earlobe between her lips and sucked gently.

"Maur, please."

"Jane, stop worrying. Nobody will know. For all they know, we're still sleeping," Maura whispered before leaving a trail of light wet kisses down to Jane's shoulder. She bit down gently causing Jane to writhe underneath her.

"Oh god," Jane gritted her teeth before relaxing under the small body on top of her, "You are so bad for me."

Maura brought herself back to look into Jane's eyes and smirked,

"You aren't complaining, are you?"

Jane shook her head and brought up her hand to point at Maura.

"Quiet is our middle name from this moment on," she hissed.

Jane watched as Maura pretended to seal her lips, lock them and throw away the key. Jane dramatically rolled her eyes at her with a low chuckle before leaning up and capturing Maura's lips with hers once more. Her hands flew to Maura's thighs as she kissed her more fervently and demandingly. She could never get enough of how Maura tasted and how she felt. She pressed the tips of her fingers into the soft flesh at Maura's hips and dragged them down the top of her thighs. Maura bucked her hips under Jane's touch and repressed the moan that was building in her throat.

Just as Jane's hands crested the swell of Maura's ass, a voice she did not expect to hear rang in her ears,

"Hey Janie, Ma told…"

Jane hastily pulled away from Maura and spotted her brother, frozen in midstep coming down the stairs.

"Tommy!" Jane yelled towards the stairs, not registering exactly what it meant that he was there, in her staircase, walking in on Maura and her.

Maura froze momentarily, hovering over Jane and slowly looked to her side to spot a young adult, no more than eighteen years old, with distinct Rizzoli features staring back at them with his mouth slightly hanging open. She looked back to Jane who hadn't moved since breaking off their kiss, her hands still firmly planted on her behind,

"Tommy?" Maura questioned, her voice shooting up an octave.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary: **_Get a better understanding of the family dynamics within the Rizzoli household.

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_**A/N:** _Ooooh, less than a week before an update. I think I may be back on the horse. Damn, did I just jynx myself? Ugh. Anyways, thank you everyone for the lovely reviews! I do appreciate them, always. Hope you enjoy this next one. Also, please remember that if you spot any inconsistencies (although, I do try to make sure there aren't any), don't be shy to point them out. Constructive criticism is always welcomed also. With that said, go forth and read!

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Jane stared at Tommy in absolute horror as he stayed planted in the staircase. He raised his hands up in front of him as if surrendering and quickly said with a wicked grin,

"Whoa! Ma just told me to see if you were awake. Clearly you are."

Jane groaned pushing herself up and at the same time, forcing Maura to sit up.

"Get out!" she roared, pointing to the top of the stairs. Maura just sat silently on Jane's thighs, watching the exchange unfold. Tommy dramatically rolled his eyes before turning on his heels and heading back up the stairs mumbling something about how her sex life wasn't really a secret.

"I heard that!" Jane hollered before dropping back into the bed and covering her face with her arms. Maura shifted off of Jane and fell onto her hip next to her. She remained silent, knowing full well by know that anything she said wouldn't help the situation. Jane kicked one leg into the air, squirming in place before violently pushing herself up and heading towards the stairs.

"Jane," Maura cautioned and Jane stopped at the foot of the stairs.

"What is it?" she snapped and immediately regretted it seeing the slight flinch in Maura's usually unwavering posture.

"You… um… you aren't wearing any pants."

Jane looked down and frowned.

"Thanks," she gazed back up to Maura and gave her a crooked smile as she made her way to her dresser and pulled out a pair of boxers. She pulled them on as she made her way back up the stairs.

"Tommy!" she called out before she'd even cleared the stairs.

"What's with all the yelling?" Angela's voice echoed from the kitchen.

Jane glared into the living room where Frank, Frankie and Tommy were all congregated before joining her mother in the kitchen. She spoke loud enough for her voice to carry to her tactless brother's ears,

"Tommy doesn't know how to knock. I swear, I'm going to install a lock on the door."

She sighed heavily and folded her arms over her stomach. She glanced at the clock and noted that it was early afternoon. They had slept a good part of the day.

"Ma told me to check whether you were awake yet," Tommy shouted from the living room. Jane rolled her eyes before looking at her mother.

"Seriously, ma?"

"What? How was I supposed to know he'd just walk in? I taught him better than that!" she directed the last part towards the living room.

"Ma didn't tell me you had company," Tommy tried defending himself as he waltzed into the kitchen, "Had I known what I was going to walk in on, I would have knocked," he sarcastically finished off. Jane leaned over and slapped him on the arm. Tommy made a surprised face feigning hurt as he rubbed the spot that she'd just smacked.

"It's my room. Doesn't matter if I'm alone or not. You knock!"

So caught up in the regular give and take with her brothers, Jane had yet to process the real meaning of Tommy walking in on her and Maura. The jetlag didn't help either. When it did sink in, she stood there flabbergasted and just stared at both her baby brother and pointed at him,

"Wait… When were you sprung free? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"You were away! I thought it would be a nice surprise," Angela dried her hands and threw the dish towel onto the counter as she turned to face her children.

"And what's this Tommy was saying? What did he walk in on?" she asked with both her hands firmly planted on her hips.

"Don't change the subject, ma. When did Tommy get out?"

"A couple of days ago and don't give me any of that 'changing topic' business. You are the queen of changing topics, Jane!"

Jane frowned, giving her mother an exasperated look. Whenever anything happened in the Rizzoli house, she was always blamed for it. Frankie would sometimes get the short end of the stick but for the most part, Jane took the brunt of it. Tommy, despite his rebellious and delinquent ways, still could do no harm. Tommy gave what Jane took as an attempt at an apologetic look as he began talking,

"They were… just makin' out. That's all."

Jane let out a long groan as she buried her face in her hands. Why did this always happen to her? Her family had no qualms discussing every aspect of her life even if she insisted that they don't. Angela walked by Jane and pulled her hands down from her face.

"That's all? By the way your sister is all flustered and actin' all defensive, I'd say it was more than that."

Out of nowhere, Frankie popped his head into the doorway of the kitchen,

"Actually…"

Jane cut him off by glaring and pointing an index at him,

"Don't you even dare!"

Angela swatted at Jane's hand,

"Be nice to your brothers! Everybody knows, Jane! You're more in denial about it than your father. Stop being such a prude!"

Just then Jane spotted Maura slip out from the basement. Jane cracked a smile as she took in the sight of a disheveled Maura who had changed out of the pair of boxers she'd borrowed and into a pair of Jane's baggier sweat pants. Jane had forgotten that all of Maura's things were still in the lobby and that Maura had no access to it unless she made an appearance upstairs.

"Right there! That look!" Frankie exclaimed and Jane's face went completely blank as soon as she realized that she had probably been smiling goofily for her entire family to see.

"C'mon, Janie. Why ya gotta be like that?" Tommy asked, oblivious of Maura's presence among them.

"She is rather reserved with more than just this," Maura spoke up and immediately knew she shouldn't have said anything by the look Jane was shooting her way.

"Maura!" Jane grumbled.

Angela laughed and patted Jane's cheek.

"I don't understand how you can have such a confident and outgoing personality and be so closed up about this."

Jane pushed her mother's hand away and whined.

"I'm just going to go crawl into a hole."

Maura locked eyes with Jane's and smiled sweetly.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Jane. Quite the opposite actually," she began but Jane cut her off with a drawn out groan. She slowly leaned back against the counter and sank to the floor as if in slow motion.

"Better yet. Someone kill me," she leaned her forehead against her knees and threw her arms over her head. Jane kept her face hidden between her knees and listened as the conversation naturally shifted. Maura and Tommy introduced themselves and Jane was surprised at how well Maura conducted herself considering Jane had barely told her anything about him. Angela shooed the boys out of the kitchen.

"Tommy, next time would you just knock. You're going to drive your sister right out of this house if you don't respect her privacy!"

She looked down to Jane who was still folded over onto herself and nudged her with her foot.

"Jane, get up off the floor, would ya!"

Angela turned to Maura and shrugged,

"She's so much like Frank when it comes to these kinds of things. Maybe being with someone so open like you will help her to open up more."

Jane scoffed as she pulled herself up.

"Doubt it," she mumbled under her breath as she busied herself with brushing off imaginary dust from her boxers.

Angela stiffened hearing Jane but went on as if she hadn't heard her.

"You girls must have been tired. You nearly slept through the entire day."

She walked over to the fridge and opened the door. She started to shuffle things around on the refrigerator shelves as she asked,

"Would you like something to eat? I can whip you up something in no time."

"Oh, Angela, that isn't necessary," Maura insisted looking over to Jane for some reinforcement but Jane simply shook her head. Once her mother was set on something, she was set on doing it.

"Pancakes. I'll make you girls some pancakes."

"Ma does make amazing pancakes," Jane added before walking up to Maura. As Angela busied herself with pulling out some ingredients from the refrigerator, Jane tugged at the strings of the sweat pants Maura was wearing.

"Nice pants," she whispered as her eyes moved up to Maura's hair, "and hair."

Maura's hand shot up to her hair and she quickly ran her fingers through her messy curls. Jane chuckled and left Maura's side to grab some coffee beans from the fridge once her mother cleared it and had moved onto the cupboards to gather the dry ingredients. Jane went about grinding some coffee beans, filling up the machine and starting it. The instant the coffee began to percolate, the tension released from her shoulders. The gurgling sound of the water filtering through the coffee and seeping through into the coffee pot was music to her ears. She grabbed two mugs from the cupboards and placed them in front of the machine in anticipation.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Angela?" Maura offered, feeling a little awkward doing nothing as she stood in the kitchen watching Angela and Jane go about doing their individual tasks.

"Sure, sweetie, c'mere," Angela gestured for Maura to join her. Maura stepped up beside Angela and waited for further instructions. Maura glanced over her shoulder at Jane and smiled warmly at her. Jane was constantly reminded of exactly how lucky she was and how amazing Maura was but as she stood there watching her mother and Maura bonding, she was once again shaken by that reminder. She felt her chest swell and her face grow warm as she grinned back.

"Maura, honey, could you measure out a cup and a half of flour for me, please," Angela instructed pointing towards the flour container. Maura pulled her eyes from Jane and turned back to face the counter.

"Of course," she replied and did just that.

Jane watched from across the kitchen as Maura meticulously measured out the required amount of flour. Every movement the blonde made was in typical Maura style and it amused Jane that Maura had these quirks. Maura wouldn't admit it just yet but she enjoyed these moments with Angela. In them, she could experience what it must have been like to have mother-daughter time. It didn't matter that she was a young adult but when Angela would instruct her to do a certain thing, she felt as if she were a child again and relished the innocent feeling that enveloped her as she happily obliged.

Jane turned away from the scene in front of her to pour herself and Maura a cup of coffee.

"Ma, do you want a cup of coffee?" she threw over her shoulder.

"No thank you. Ask your pop and the boys though," Angela replied.

Jane sighed as she slowly made her way to the living room entrance and asked whether any of them wanted coffee. To her surprise, none of them did and she happily made her way back into the kitchen. She grabbed coffee cream from the fridge and caught a glimpse of Maura as she closed the refrigerator door. She looked comfortable as if she belonged right there next to her mother. With all her social awkwardness, and Jane had witnessed a lot of it, Maura fit perfectly here in her kitchen, with her mother. She put up with her family's antics and never complained about them. Even when Jane was at the end of her rope, Maura somehow managed to highlight the positive. Jane always attributed this to the fact that Maura had grown up with distant parents and if she had grown up in a family like hers, she would be whistling a different tune.

She quickly looked over her shoulder once more before adding cream and sugar to the coffees and fixing up Maura's coffee the way she knew the other woman liked it. She sipped her own coffee as she gently placed Maura's mug down on the counter far enough away from the mixing bowls. Delicate fingers reached out and picked up the mug. Maura sipped it carefully and smiled over the lip of her mug.

"Thank you," she spoke softly as she reached out with her free hand, grasping Jane's elbow and kissing her cheek lightly. Unable to control it, Jane stiffened slightly and kept her eyes locked on her mother and as Maura withdrew, her fingers continued to gently grasp Jane's elbow. Jane didn't know where this knee-jerk reaction stemmed from. She had just never been comfortable with displays of affection in front of her family. Perhaps the answer lay within her sexuality and how she always felt that her family only accepted it and her because she was _their_ Janie. She'd never discussed it at length with them. Her brother Frankie had been the first person she'd ever openly talked to about it when they were in their early teens. The issue arose when Frankie disclosed his undying love for the girl next door who had also caught Jane's attention. Jane never remembered the conversation well but she does remember Frankie cracking a joke about how now he had to worry about competing with his sister for girls. Tommy had approached her a few years later when he was old enough to understand his own attraction to the opposite sex and he had flatly asked Jane if she preferred girls. It had taken her by surprise and at first she had grappled with what to say but in the end she had just caved and admitted it. Whenever she found herself alone with her brothers, it was a different scenario than if she were surrounded by her entire family or friends. She allowed herself to boast and Frankie was mostly the one responsible for bringing out Jane's competitive side.

However, with her parents, it had been much more hard won. She had kept her sexuality a secret for a long time, choosing to believe that they didn't notice the lack of boys in her life except for her team members on whichever team she found herself playing in. When she finally came out to her parents, it wasn't so much by choice. The scenario had unfolded somewhat like the one that had just taken place with Tommy. Angela had walked in on a fifteen year old Jane tentatively kissing her childhood best friend, Cecelia who everyone called Cece. Instead of shock, Angela's reaction had taken Jane by surprise. She'd exclaimed 'finally!' and sighed out of relief. Cecelia had immediately fled, profusely apologizing as she ran down the stairs and out the front door. Jane had simply sat on the edge of her bed staring at her mother in utter disbelief.

The truth had been that Angela had had her suspicions from an early stage in Jane's life and it had originally worried her. She hadn't worried about how it would be received within the household because she would make sure that Jane would be treated no differently if her suspicions were proven to be right and Jane did end up coming out to them. No, what had worried Angela and plagued her for the longest time, and still did to this day, was how Jane would be received and treated outside the walls of their house. She couldn't control the entire population of Boston or wherever Jane's life took her. She fretted about what others would think of her little girl and no matter how many birthdays passed, Jane would always be her little girl. And so, walking in on Jane had been a blessing in disguise because Angela could finally approach her daughter in regards to her sexuality. They had talked about it once in depth and it had taken Jane everything in her to not run away. She had sat uncomfortably while her mother prodded. Eventually, Angela had discussed everything that she wanted out in the open and Jane had happily run off to join her brothers outside.

No matter how many times Angela found herself reassuring Jane that her sexuality didn't bother her, Jane still seemed to try her hardest to shelter that part of her life. She did have her weak moments whenever she found herself accosted by either one of her parents and sometimes both at the same time. There were chinks in her armor and Angela always seemed to know exactly where to find them. She knew how to get to her daughter and only hoped that one day, she'd be comfortable being as open with her significant other, whether that was Maura or someone else, as her brothers were with any date they ever brought home.

"Don't worry, honey. It's not you. Jane's always been rather uptight around family," Angela muttered to assuage Maura and continued, "I tell her it doesn't matter. We love her regardless but she always tries to _protect_ us from it. Love is love, I say."

At that, Jane remained silent but smiled as she leaned against the edge of the counter. She sipped her coffee and watched as her mother made a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and poured the wet ingredients into it. Her process of making pancakes resembled the way she made bread or gnocchi. Even though Jane didn't share her mother's burning passion for baking or cooking, she still admired the way in which her mother went about in the kitchen.

"Perhaps in these particular instances, despite you verbally acknowledging that you accept her lifestyle, Jane still fears that your thoughts may not align with your spoken words," Maura posited aloud but then her hand that had rested at Jane's elbow flew to her mouth as she gasped. Jane laughed and patted Maura's arm gently. Maura busied herself by sipping her coffee, hoping that this would stop her from saying anything more.

"It's okay, Maur. If there's anyone you can be outspoken around, it's my ma. See, you can't control it. She, on the other hand, can but doesn't care to."

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli!" Angela shot out as she began whisking the batter.

Jane watched as both of Maura's eyebrows shot up and an amused look sparkled in her eyes.

"Don't," Jane firmly warned and Maura simply smirked in reply.

"Why don't you two go and do something. I'll shout when everything is ready."

Maura looked over to Angela,

"It was a pleasure helping you, Angela."

Angela smiled sweetly at Maura, dropping the whisk momentarily to bat at the air with her hand,

"It was _my _pleasure, Maura. Now away with you both!"

Angela shooed them out of the kitchen. They stood in the hallway just outside of the kitchen, staring at each other and within seconds, they erupted into a fit of laughter. Neither of them knew exactly why they were laughing but it just felt right. Once Jane regained her composure, she reached out and gently grabbed Maura's arm,

"C'mon. Let's rifle through your luggage and find you something to wear. Those pants just don't look right on you."

Maura opened her mouth to retort but then looked down at the sweat pants and sighed in defeat. They definitely were not something she'd wear if she had had the choice.

"I do remember informing you that I don't own any such type of garments of my own…"

Jane shot Maura a look and she immediately corrected herself,

"Well, except for that one pair that I wore that night we agreed to never speak of."

Jane grinned at how severe Maura's tone and face turned at the end of that sentence. Jane knew by now that there wasn't much that embarrassed Maura but losing her composure, getting drunk and calling up someone she barely knew ranked at the top of that nearly non-existent list of things Maura swore to never speak of.

They set their coffee mugs down and began rifling through Maura's suitcases. After some time, she finally settled on an outfit. They would bother changing out of their chosen pajamas after 'breakfast'. Jane still called it breakfast even if they were eating it in the afternoon. First meal of the day is always breakfast.

As much as she'd put off Maura spending the night, the outcome hadn't been all that bad. She could have easily done without Tommy walking in on them but then again, the situation only involved some embarrassment and it was all on Jane's behalf but that was just who she was. There wasn't much she could do about it. She did enjoy seeing her mother interact with Maura and she had a feeling that Maura didn't mind the motherly attention. Perhaps she'd have Maura over more often. Maybe… just maybe. She wasn't going to rush it though. Maybe once every two weeks, slow integration and gradual exposure was key as Maura would say. It wasn't so much Maura she was worried about. It was herself. She slowly had to begin dealing with many of the issues that had surfaced earlier.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own zilch! Except the lovely ideas that float about in my head and those I can't be 100% sure are entirely my own anyways.  
_**Notes:**_ I've wanted to dip my toes into the R&I writing world for a while now but I had to wait until the black vortex of doom that I call my final year of undergraduate school spit me back out. Thankfully, it did last week and after coming home from completing my last exam, I started writing. The idea came to me a while back when I did a season one rewatch and the wheels started churning on what would it have been like had Jane and Maura met at BCU had Jane accepted and gone. Set in present day so none of that late 70s-80s vibe for our gals. I hope you enjoy.  
_**Summary: **_School's back but our ladies still make time for date night. It doesn't go as smoothly as either of them would have hoped.

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**_A/N:_**I was originally going to split this chapter up in two because it's twice the length of what I usually upload but I was told by a reader to just "POST IT AAALLLL" and so I am acquiescing. I hope you will enjoy it and once again, thank you so much for all the reviews. I do so much appreciate them.

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Chapter Twenty-One

Few days had remained between Maura and Jane's return from Marseille and the beginning of their winter semester. While Jane outwardly grumbled about having to return to classes, Maura knew better. She saw through Jane's exaggerated complaints and knew that in reality, Jane was excited for her new classes to begin. A new class was akin to a child receiving a new toy. At first, the toy was shiny and new; it quickly became the child's favourite. However, this exuberance towards the toy was always short-lived and within as little as a few weeks, the toy was pushed to the back of the child's mind. A new class' shelf life happened to be quite similar. Once the monotony of classes settled heavy on one's shoulders, the appeal of a new semester quickly wore away.

The exciting and shiny aspects of a new class were never lost on Maura though. Perhaps, it was because through her role of being a teacher's assistant for freshman classes, she could vicariously experience the excitement through the freshmen in whichever class she found herself assigned to. That meant, however, for the first week back to classes, Maura was swamped with preparing for tutorials, holding extra office hours for those students who just can't help but revert to panic mode and minding to her own school work as well. With some deep felt apologies, Maura had unceremoniously pushed Jane to the sidelines with the promise that she would be all Jane's come Friday evening.

Throughout the entire week, Maura kept referring to Friday evening as their date night which Jane found ridiculously adorable. They had agreed to meet at the library after Maura's last scheduled meeting. It was just as the student was packing up his things that Maura spotted Jane rounding the corner. The smile that spread across her lips at the sight of Jane was unstoppable. The student looked to where Maura's gaze was before looking back to her with a questioning look.

"Date night," Maura simply replied in an all too chipper tone.

He knowingly nodded slowly as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"Nice," he grinned before waving, "See you in class."

"Try to enjoy your weekend, Theo."

"You too," he threw over his shoulder as he crossed paths with Jane.

Maura started to put away her things as Jane placed a coffee cup down in front of her. Maura paused and looked up to Jane.

"Coffee?"

"Green tea," Jane indicated, pointing to the cup.

She leaned in and lightly placed a kiss to Maura's lips. Maura returned the gesture with a quick peck and a smile,

"Hi," Maura murmured as Jane straightened up.

"Hi," Jane replied.

Hazel pools remained locked on eddies the colour of coffee as Maura finished throwing the last of her things into her purse. She pulled her gaze away from Jane's, slipping into her coat as she stood up.

"Do tell, what are our plans for the evening?" Maura questioned before picking up and sipping her tea.

Jane shrugged as she zipped her jacket back up and smirked,

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

With a look Jane recognized all too well as the one that crossed Maura's face whenever she was attempting to figure out whether she was being serious or joking, Maura stated in a matter of fact way,

"Of course, it's why I asked."

Jane laughed, reaching out with her free hand to gently pat Maura's arm before relieving Maura of her book bag,

"Ugh, you can be so literal sometimes."

"I'm sorry?"

Jane shook her head, reaching out for Maura's free hand with her own.

"Don't apologize. It's one of the _many_ quirks I love about you."

The words were out before she could mentally talk herself into using a different combination and even though the word 'about' stood sandwiched between the three others, Jane still stiffened momentarily as they hung in the air. She exhaled a breath she hadn't even noticed she was holding as she saw the blush creep across Maura's pale cheeks and how the blonde briefly averted her gaze.

The moments when Maura's guard was lowered and little physical signs like the crimson on her cheeks or the shift in her posture were few and far in between but Jane always took note of them. She cherished them as if they were the first and very last of their kind. These little tokens were surfacing more and more as time progressed and Jane liked to think that she was in part responsible and that made her tingle all over.

"So what class did they saddle you with this semester?" Jane mentally berated herself for that awkward attempt at shifting the conversation.

"Anatomy and pathophysiology," Maura beamed.

"Sounds…" Jane paused taking a moment to find the best word and to make an attempt at looking fascinated, "interesting."

Maura grimaced and playfully swatted at Jane's hand.

"The professor specifically requested to have me as his assistant. I couldn't decline that kind of offer."

Jane nodded before indulging Maura,

"I get anatomy but what's ahhh… pathophysiology?"

Maura smirked over the lip of her coffee cup as she took another sip of her tea, pulling Jane towards the exit at the same time. In instances like these, she knew that Jane wasn't truly interested in the topic at hand but merely showing an interest for her sake.

"Pathophysiology deals with the changes of normal mechanical, physiological, and biochemical functions which are either caused by a disease or are a result of an abnormal syndrome."

Maura took Jane's silence and blank look as a sign that her words had gone over her head and attempted to reword herself.

"Essentially, it's the meeting of two older disciplines. You have pathology on one hand and physiology on the other. Physiology studies healthy bodily functions. Pathology looks at the nature and causes of diseases."

"I'm following you so far," Jane encouraged.

"When something comes along and disrupts normal physiological processes, pathophysiology comes into play. Something pathophysiologists have looked at is the chemical changes that take place in body tissue due to inflammation."

"I think I get it," Jane nodded and Maura grinned.

"It was one of my favourite classes in my first year."

Jane squeezed Maura's hand gently as they stepped outside.

"You are so weird," she teased and Maura scrunched her nose in that adorable fashion Jane couldn't help but smirk at.

The cold January air bit at Jane's face as she inhaled sharply as they stepped out into the winter night. The air was crisp and the sun had already dipped below the skyline, plummeting the temperatures even lower. She involuntarily shivered and mentally prayed for snow. Despite disliking the white stuff the more it accumulated, it always seemed as though the days were milder whenever it snowed and she always did enjoy snowfalls. She just didn't enjoy having to get around the city with it around.

Maura took one last sip of her tea before discarding the cup in a nearby trash can. She pulled a pair of mittens out of her pockets and slipped them on. The bright stripped pattern caught Jane's eyes and she immediately exclaimed,

"Are those the mittens my mother knitted?"

Maura gazed down at her hands, wiggling her fingers inside the mittens with a childlike look on her face.

"The very ones."

"You don't have to wear them. You know that, right?"

The look of absolute shock that transformed Maura's delicate features was tantamount to one Jane would expect if she had posited that the small intestine wasn't the largest internal organ in the human body.

"Okay, okay! Wear the mittens," Jane conceded.

With a gentle tilt of her head, Maura looked over to Jane and asked,

"Seriously where are you taking me?"

A light sigh escaped Maura's lips as Jane shook her head. Jane led Maura to the passenger side of her car and unlocked the door.

"Have my surprises ever let you down?" she inquired, opening the door for Maura to get in. Once the blonde had settled herself, Jane handed back her book bag and closed the door. Jane hurried to the other side, hopping behind the wheel and quickly turning the keys in the ignition. Unlike Maura's newer model, her car took some time transitioning from a frozen block of metal to a relatively warmer frozen block of metal. Jane invested more of her money into the upkeep of her bike as she drove it more than the car.

"It is not that I do not trust you in putting together surprises. It's that I find myself unable to control my curiosity in these circumstances," Maura explained as she twisted to place her book bag in the back seat as Jane busied herself with the heat knobs.

Jane nodded slowly as she made her way out of the parking lot and onto the street.

"Mmmhmm, nice save," she mumbled looking to Maura quickly before focusing on the traffic light.

"It's the truth, Jane."

They continued on in this fashion throughout the entire drive. The surprised and joyful look that spread on Maura's face as they hit Chinatown was well worth keeping their destination a secret. At that very moment, nothing could give Jane more joy than the shimmer in Maura's eyes. She loved surprising her.

Jane drove about looking for a parking space and after several minutes, she eventually found one. After stepping out of the car, and coming together on the sidewalk, Maura ventured a guess.

"Sushi?"

With an attempt to muster her most convincing tone of voice, Jane denied any such dinner plans even though Maura had this annoying way of constantly being able to guess her surprises.

"No, not sushi."

Maura puffed out a breath that materialized in the cold air in front of her as she pouted. She was playing along at this point. She had a strong feeling that they were indeed going for sushi and that made her happy considering how Jane always suggested something else whenever Maura brought up the possibility. They veered right at the next intersection and Jane gently tugged Maura to stop in front of their destination.

"It is sushi, you sneak!" Maura looked up at the signage and cracked a smile, "I knew it."

Jane gasped before pulling Maura inside, the cold was beginning to chill her to the bone.

"You did not," she teased in a sing-song voice.

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Maura watched as Jane tentatively prodded a Philly roll with her chopsticks.

"Just try it. You'll like it," she encouraged after sipping her sake.

Jane flipped it over before asking,

"What's in it?"

"It varies. This one looks to have…" Maura leaned in to inspect it before continuing, "Salmon, cucumber and cream cheese. Just try it, please."

Maura picked it up and waved it in front of Jane's face until the other leaned in and ate the roll. Their entire dinner had been a constant parade of questions from Jane and patient answers from Maura. Maura laughed at the surprised look on Jane's face.

"Good, right?"

Jane enthusiastically nodded as she finished off the roll.

"Surprisingly!"

Maura playfully jabbed at Jane's wrist with her chopsticks before eating a shrimp tempura roll. She pushed a different kind towards Jane. The brunette eyed the roll suspiciously to keep up appearances before trying it. She wasn't about to let Maura revel in the fact that she had been right all along and that she actually liked all the rolls Maura had ordered for them.

"Was that spicy tuna?" Jane asked, sipping some water.

"I think so."

"You think?" Jane reached for the last one but stopped herself mid motion. "Did you want the last one?"

Maura shook her head and waved for Jane to go ahead. She happily picked up the last roll, not caring at this point what kind it was and finished off their order. As Jane nursed her sake, Maura gingerly reached for the menu and scanned the dessert options. It was only when their dessert arrived that Jane looked at Maura incredulously,

"Ice cream, Maur? It's below zero out there and you ordered us ice cream?"

Maura nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders as she dug into the bowl of ice cream between them.

"It's red bean ice cream. It's a must. Besides, they say the best thing to eat when you are cold is something cold. It regulates your internal body temperature so that the difference between the surface of your body and that outside isn't as great. And we can always go for coffee afterwards."

Jane grumbled at Maura's rational thinking and dived into the ice cream with her spoon.

"And what if I don't want to go for coffee afterwards?" she smartly asked even though she was fully willing and up for a warm cup of coffee. Maura scooped out another bite of ice cream as she cocked an eyebrow skyward.

"You don't?" her voice shot up in surprise.

Jane registered the pang of hurt that flashed across Maura's face as she posed the question.

"Oh my god, Maur," Jane reached out and took a hold of Maura's hand, "I was kidding!"

"I knew that," the blonde shot back defensively, turning her hand underneath Jane's so that their palms were touching.

A crooked smirk plastered itself on Jane's lips as she stared at Maura acting all frustrated from across the table. Despite outwardly attempting to be defensive, Jane always noted the little things that Maura would continue to do regardless. Maura's index finger was lazily tracing imaginary drawings on her palm as they finished off their ice cream. Before Maura even had the chance to even think about reaching for her purse, Jane excused herself from the table and disappeared. When she came back to the table, Jane pulled on her jacket, shrugging into it as she zipped the front up before moving to stand next to Maura, pulling her coat up from the back of her chair and holding it out in front of her for Maura to just slide into.

"You shouldn't have," Maura whispered over her shoulder as she stepped into her coat.

Jane pressed her cheek to Maura's from behind.

"Tell you what. You can pay for coffee," she teased, kissing Maura's cheek lightly as she stepped out from behind her.

Jane laughed at the exasperated look Maura shot her way.

"It's not the same, Jane," she sighed, buttoning her coat then picking up her purse.

"Ahhh, I wasn't finished. You can pay for coffee for a month."

Maura narrowed her eyes at Jane – a move which Jane reciprocated. When Jane saw the slightest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of Maura's lips, she couldn't suppress her own.

"Just because of that, we're going to that coffee shop you complain about but secretly love."

Maura gave a curt nod before turning around and heading towards the exit.

"Hey… wait," Jane exclaimed as she hurried after Maura.

* * *

"Café au lait? Why don't they just call it coffee with milk?" Jane sarcastically noted as they stood in line at the coffee shop.

Maura looked over to her left and fixed her gaze on Jane,

"It involves more than just coffee and milk. The coffee is prepared a certain way from espresso and the milk is steamed to a specific temperature. What would you like to drink?" she asked as they stepped forward in the queue. Jane shot the boards with the list of drinks one more glance before shrugging.

"What was it you had the last time we were here? I'll have that."

"A macchiato?" Maura asked to ensure they were on the same page.

"Mmhmm, sure, if that's what you had. I'm going to go grab us some seats, all right?"

For a Friday evening, Jane could not wrap her mind around how this little coffee shop was bustling with so many people. Didn't they have anything better to do on a Friday night? Then again, who was she to judge? Weren't she and Maura doing exactly what the rest of them were doing? Finding refuge from the biting winds and granting themselves a reprieve from the winter gloom. As Jane slipped past her in order to scout out seats, Maura sidestepped and moved forward to place their order.

"Good evening. What can I get started for you tonight?" the gentleman behind the cash register greeted Maura with a warm smile.

"Two macchiatos, please."

"We'll have those ready for you at the end of the bar," he continued to smile as he took her money, gathered her change and handed it back to her.

"Thank you," Maura took the change and dropped it into the tip jar before making her way over to the end of the bar to wait for their coffees. As she waited, she scanned the small area and spotted Jane. She had been able to secure them a small table near the frosted front windows. She observed Jane as she attempted to make herself comfortable in her seat then once settled, she crossed her legs and folded her hands into her lap with her eyes glued on the pedestrians walking by outside. Maura's attention was pulled back to the bar when their drinks were called. She was quick to pick up the cups and careful at making her way over to where Jane was seated.

"Here you go," Maura sat down and handed Jane her cup.

Jane jumped in her seat, startled by Maura's sudden presence across from her. She had been so absorbed in the coming and going of the individuals on the street that she hadn't even noticed when Maura had taken her seat.

"Thanks," she uttered, taking the cup from Maura and cradling it in both her hands. She lifted it to smell the sweet aroma before sipping it slowly. She had barely a moment to savor the delicious taste of the espresso blend when she took note of the puzzled look on Maura's face. Jane perked an eyebrow, questioning Maura silently as she took another sip.

"Jane?! Jane Rizzoli?"

Jane's eyes shot wide as her shoulders stiffened the moment she heard her name. Before she even turned around, she knew who the voice belonged to. She would give her left leg to not turn around and face the woman calling out her name.

Maura could only watch as Jane's face dropped. The brunette leaned forward to place her cup down on the table. Maura immediately recognized the forced smile that broke across Jane's lips before she turned around to face the other woman.

"Sophia!"

"I never expected to run into you at a place like this," Sophia exclaimed as she approached the duo. If the other woman had noticed Maura, she didn't let on right away. Her attention was solely focused on Jane.

Maura simply remained quiet and watched the exchange, taking note of Jane's body language. Despite the fact that Jane had remained seated, a position clearly expressing that she didn't wish to engage in any body contact, Sophia leaned down and pulled her into a hug – a very awkward hug.

"Well, it's one of Maura's favourite spots," Jane extricated herself from the hug and motioned to Maura who was in the middle of sipping her coffee.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't interrupting, was I?" Sophia asked.

Maura quickly laid her cup down on the table before standing up and reaching out to the other woman.

"You weren't interrupting. Maura Isles, nice to meet you," she looked to Sophia before glancing down to Jane for some kind of introduction but Jane simply frowned and shook her head. She didn't want Maura encouraging Sophia to stay any longer.

"Jane was never one for introductions. I'm Sophia Clarke," she chuckled as she shook Maura's hand.

Maura sat back down and an uncomfortable silence weaseled its way between them. She looked over to Jane again for some encouragement but Jane did nothing to cooperate. At that very moment, Jane wished she could disappear into the very chair she was sitting in. As if completely oblivious to the awkward tension, Sophia simply stood there, hovering above them.

"Jane and I used to date," she stated as if it were the morning weather report. This caused Jane to groan and bury her face into her hands.

"Oh, well that's nice," Maura mumbled against the lip of her cup as she took another sip. Jane choked back a laugh at what she knew was Maura's attempt at sarcasm. The shot went over Sophia's head and Jane was silently thankful for that.

With that information out in the open, Maura was unable to stop herself from dissecting the woman standing in front of her. She scrutinized every inch of her from her blonde dye job down the very minute scuffs on her boots. One thing was certain, it was starting to look as if Jane had a type. Maura couldn't be entirely sure, however, since Jane was so secretive about her past relationships.

After a minute more of awkward silence, Sophia seemed to finally clue in.

"I'll leave you two to your coffee. Have a good evening," she smiled and turned slightly towards Jane, "It was nice seeing you again."

Maura perked an eyebrow with her eyes locked on Sophia's back as the woman walked away from them. Jane let out a sigh of relief and straightened back up in her chair. Maura slowly dragged her gaze from Sophia's receding shape and settled her eyes on Jane. Jane reached forward for her coffee cup and froze halfway.

"What?" she shot at Maura, a little too defensively.

"Were you two serious or was it just a casual thing?" Maura persisted, pushing forward despite Jane's tone.

"Don't," Jane groaned, wrapping her fingers around her cup and leaning back into her chair.

Maura furrowed her brow, and dipped forward, resting her cup on her bent knee.

"Don't what, Jane? It's a simple question. You've never mentioned her or any of your past relationships as a matter of fact."

"Because I don't want to… They're not important. Can we not do this here?"

Maura breathed out heavily, leaning the extra distance to place her cup on the table.

"If not here, where? You'll somehow manage to talk your way into a different topic and by the time we've relocated, you'll have made your escape."

Jane tightly squeezed her eyes shut as she finished off her coffee and grumbled, returning the cup loudly down on the table top.

"You wouldn't understand," she tried to calm the bubbling frustration from surfacing in her voice.

"Why do you say that? Because you're the first person I've maintained a significant relationship with?"

"Yes!" Jane exclaimed, immediately wishing that she could retract her words upon seeing the look on Maura's face. Jane had slipped into that mindset that no matter what was said or done, she would still be in a foul mood. A mindset that she was always aware of but never stopped herself from entering regardless of who the target was. Her mother had always said she had a quick temper and a horrible disposition when angry and that God help the poor soul who stepped in her way. Jane expected Maura to lash back even though she knew it was quite unlike the blonde to do so. However, Maura simply breathed in deeply, closed her eyes for a moment before speaking calmly,

"You're upset. I understand but you're being irrational. Let's just go home and we can discuss this in private."

Jane chewed at the skin around her thumb nail as she studied Maura's face. For Maura's sake, she should try to pull herself out of this funk. It was like quicksand though. The more she fought it, the deeper she sank. Maura, of all people, didn't deserve to be at the end of this mood swing. Especially when taking into considering that it was Jane's own inability to cope with past relationships and to talk about them that got them into this situation.

"Fine," she gruffly agreed as she stood up and pulled on her jacket.

* * *

Maura stood in her kitchen with her back to Jane as she prepared herself a cup of tea. She was taking more time than usual in preparing her tea. It was a feeble attempt to grant herself some extra time to put together her thoughts. The drive from the café to her place had been filled with tension and unspoken words. The silence still hung about them gloomily as the only sound that reverberated in her loft was the soft clink of her spoon against her mug as she stirred in some sugar.

Jane breathed in deeply and sighed heavily as she sat impatiently on the couch. She had resumed chewing the corner of her thumb and had begun jiggling her leg up and down. Meaningful conversations were not her forte and she knew that was exactly what Maura wanted from her. She wasn't sure she would be able to deliver no matter how patient Maura was with her.

"It didn't end well," Jane broke the silence.

Maura discarded her spoon in the sink.

"That's an obvious deduction. You wouldn't be with me otherwise. You'd still be with her, no?"

She turned to face Jane but remained in the kitchen, looking across the expanse of it and her living room.

"Maura," Jane whined as she slowly lifted her eyes from the floor.

She looked over to the honey blonde leaning back against the kitchen counter, nursing a hot cup of tea. She didn't judge Maura for keeping a safe distance, if that was what she was doing. Maura feigned ignorance.

"What? It's the truth though, isn't it?"

This comment granted her a dramatic eye roll from Jane. In her opinion, Jane was purposely thwarting any of her attempts at a civilized conversation and she just wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. Instead, she calmly remained on the opposite side of her loft and sipped her tea.

Jane pushed back into the couch as she brought her hands up to her face and groaned. She would rather be forced to sit through her mother's rants about dish stains and recipe swapping than to be forced to talk about her exes. She also found it rather unfair that she had a past when it came to relationships and Maura didn't have much to contribute in that department. That small fact made trading one of her stories for one of Maura's quite difficult.

Not to mention that rehashing her break-up with Sophia would bring back a lot of unwanted emotions. There was no way of getting herself out of this situation now. She slowly pulled her hands down from her face and stared blankly at the ceiling.

"She ended it, all right? I was a complete mess for months. I purposely started skipping classes, I was a terror to my parents and my brothers. I was just god damn miserable to be around and now that I look back on how I reacted, it's rather embarrassing."

"We have no control over our emotions. What we can control is our outward reaction to them. It doesn't lessen what we feel inside though. You shouldn't be embarrassed. I'm sure the way you reacted was only normal," Maura soothed.

"We were together for almost three years… although, I'd say that the last year and a half wasn't all that enjoyable," Jane began, finding it easier to divulge this information if she didn't look at Maura. She didn't want to see the look on Maura's face as she explained any of this.

"She… ah…" Jane struggled with her words, not sure of the best way to express herself, "We were young when we first met. It was in the middle of my junior year and she was a sophomore. We started out as friends. Well, actually, she was friends with Frankie first. He's how we met."

Maura sipped her tea silently, allowing Jane to choose her words, and voice them carefully. Slowly, the pieces started to fall into place in her mind and she could begin putting them together to form a bigger picture.

"I ended up just kissing her one day and she freaked out at first. She actually didn't talk to me for like two weeks," she laughed a little at the memory as she continued, "Frankie was _pissed_. How was I supposed to know he was interested in her if he'd never told me?"

Jane finally lifted her head from the back of the couch and looked over to Maura who stood stoically still in the kitchen.

"She told me afterwards that she'd never envisioned herself with another girl but that she was willing to give it a try if I was patient with her," Jane chewed her bottom lip as that statement settled between them. Maura was becoming aware that the similarities between Sophia and her extended far beyond physical likeness.

"She didn't end the relationship because of…" she didn't dare finish and thankfully Jane cut in before she had the opportunity to.

"Oh, no, no. Although, I couldn't tell you if she's been with any other women since. I really haven't made it my goal to find out much about her since she ended things," Jane hurriedly explained before continuing,

"If I remember correctly, her exact words were 'I didn't know that being with you meant being with your entire family.' I guess the Rizzoli clan was too much for her to handle. She actually screamed it across my backyard during our annual summer Rizzoli BBQ..."

Maura delicately returned her cup to the counter top before slowly padding her way over to the living room and lowering herself onto the couch next to Jane.

"Jane…" she reached out, placing her hand lightly on Jane's knee. Jane stopped bouncing her foot up and down at the contact and looked over to Maura. She hadn't ever considered how important it was to embrace her past relationships. She'd always taken something from them but rarely ever revisited them. The main reason she had always avoided discussing them with anyone was because she feared in doing so that she'd have to admit to her own shortcomings and bring them out into the open. No matter what characteristic one may view as a flaw, Jane always felt as though to others her family was one of the biggest. She couldn't shake them. No matter what she did, where she went, they would always be there in one way or another. She loved and hated them at the same time. Her mother was meddlesome and constantly needed to know everyone's business. Her father was rather closed up and followed along with anything Angela said. Frankie was… well Frankie. He was essentially a younger male version of Jane. That left Tommy. Tommy was only ever around long enough to get himself in more trouble before disappear again. No matter how much they all tried to intervene, it seemed as though Tommy was a hopeless case.

"My family is quite a handful. I don't hold it against her for wanting to get as far away as possible. Heck, I've even wished it a few times," Jane sighed, feeling slightly defeated.

Maura gave Jane's knee a gentle squeeze before reaching out and taking Jane's hand.

"Did you not want to discuss this because you are afraid that I'll eventually come to the same conclusion?"

"Well, yeah," Jane scoffed as if it were absurd to suggest otherwise.

"Jane, I love your family. I don't know if it's because I grew up in such a radically different family environment but I adore everything about them from how your mother can't help but know everyone's business to how Frankie worships the ground you walk on but won't ever admit to it."

At Maura's words, Jane let out a laugh which immediately quieted when she registered the seriousness in Maura's gaze.

"You're serious?"

Jane felt her muscles relax, and her shoulders sag as her trepidation melted away under Maura's softening stare. How could she ever have been so wrapped up in herself to think that Maura would fall prey to her own fears if she voiced them? She mentally beat herself for allowing herself to play into her doubts.

"Of course, I'm serious. I would never sugarcoat the truth with nice words if I felt otherwise just to spare you. I would tell you if your family grated on my nerves."

"Too true," Jane mumbled, fighting a smile. She knew all too well that Maura definitely would not hold back if her family was actually too much for her to handle. Suddenly, Jane felt ridiculous for having allowed herself to sink into that pit of quicksand anger and for not being open to discussing any of this with Maura.

"I'm sorry," she began but was uncertain of what to follow up her apologize with. She pulled herself away from Maura and stood up, only to begin pacing in the middle of the living room.

"You know that there are some topics that I'm not so comfortable discussing… some more than others and I get defensive. I think it's partly because I'm frustrated with myself for not being able to talk so openly about them… especially you and I'm sorry about that. I'm trying," she rambled on as she continued to walk back and forth.

She turned on her heels and stumbled back when she just about walked right into Maura. The blonde reached out, wrapping her fingers around Jane's biceps firmly and steadying her.

"Jane… I know all of this and I'm still here. I don't expect you to change overnight just because I'm an open book and up for any conversation topic. Just like you don't expect me to suddenly stop being socially awkward and stop spouting random facts."

Jane reached out, resting her hands flatly atop Maura's shoulders before narrowing her eyes at her.

"Do you ever get mad?"

"Everyone gets mad, Jane. It's inevitable," Maura asserted confidently much to Jane's discontent.

"Not _your_ kind of anger, Maur. You internalize everything, process it and react calmly. Don't you ever just lose control? I feel ridiculous whenever I flare up and talk or act impulsively. Sometimes, I'm even aware of how foul my mood has turned and I can't even pull myself out of it…"

Maura unconsciously licked her lips as she gave Jane's words some thought. Jane dropped her eyes to Maura's mouth as her pink tongue swiped across her lips. As Maura seemed to weigh her thoughts, Jane couldn't help but imagine just how ridiculous they must look at that very moment. They were both standing holding onto each other at arm's length in the middle of Maura's living room. Maura tilted her head to the side, her cheek lightly pressing against Jane's forearm.

"I don't think I have. Even my outbursts would be calculated… that can't be healthy, can it?" she looked to Jane with eyes wide as she picked her head up, loosened her grip on Jane's biceps and dropped her arms to her side. Jane immediately slid her hands from Maura's shoulders, down her arms and took Maura's hands in her own. She could see where this was going and it hadn't been her intention at all. She reassuringly squeezed Maura's fingers.

"Maura, it's fine. Forget that I brought it up."

How had the tables suddenly changed? Jane was now the one comforting Maura. Who was she to decide how one should react when angry? Who was she to dictate what was normal or not? She did imagine briefly what it would be like if Maura were to lose control as most did and that scenario scared her. She made a mental note to never push Maura to that point where logic and reasoning were tossed away.

"Any mental specialist would say that it's unhealthy to not have emotional tantrums of sorts. You know, it has something to do with not dealing with emotions properly… keeping them bottled up inside," she spoke rapidly, pulling her hands out from Jane's grasp and flailing them about in front of her. She had never given it much thought until now – the way in which she internalizes everything. It couldn't be normal.

"Maura!" Jane desperately reached out for Maura's hands, pulling them to her chest and holding them there.

"Stop it. There's nothing wrong with you. So you're a little neurotic at times, and deal with situations differently than others. But I don't care… you balance me out. When I'm being ridiculous and pessimistic no matter the reason, you bring me back down and highlight the positives. I'm a volcano constantly erupting and you're that calm bubbling volcano that nobody knows when it'll erupt but when it does, we'll just deal with it then. It'll be my turn to be the calm and collective one. You and me, okay? No need to start overanalyzing it now."

"I love you," Maura blurted out airily before she could stop herself.

Maura felt Jane tense as her hands gently tightened around hers. Those three words sent Jane reeling. She was uncertain whether she had heard Maura correctly. They had gone from talking about Jane's ex, to her family, to how they dealt with anger, to love confessions? What had just happened?

"What?" Jane asked, utterly baffled.

This was an opening, a chance to retract her words. Maura thought carefully. Did she want to take them back? Had she just said them hastily because she was overwhelmed by the warmth and sentiment in Jane's words? The words felt right rolling off her tongue but her rational mind was telling her it was too early, too soon in their relationship. How could she possibly know for sure that she loved Jane? She'd never professed such a thing to anyone. She'd only ever uttered those words with her parents and even then that was an act that children were socialized to do and rarely questioned it. A light giggle escaped her as the realization hit her that her words were sincere. She felt an incredible warmth bloom inside of her chest and heat flush her face as she smiled up at Jane and breathed in,

"I do. I really do. I love you."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

**_A/N:_**I cannot begin to apologize enough for the unexpected month hiatus that just happened. I disappeared on vacation for two weeks and then my grad classes started and it's just been a whirlwind since. Let's just say that I'm suffering from some serious impostor syndrome and wondering who thought it was a good idea to let me into the graduate program. Hopefully you guys haven't forgotten about this story and will enjoy this next installment. I am going to try my hardest to get a chapter up every week. Thank you for the reviews, they are always so greatly appreciated.

* * *

'I love you' – three words that when separated held little to no meaning but when strung together had the potential to send someone's world into a tailspin. Everything around Jane seemed to quiet. She could no longer hear the hum of the refrigerator, or the soft ticking of the clock. The cars passing on the street didn't even register with her senses. Jane felt as if she'd suddenly been submerged underwater. In addition to all sounds being choked by Maura uttering those words, she felt a tightness in her chest. It wasn't an uncomfortable sensation, just foreign. Jane absentmindedly pressed Maura's hands more forcefully into her own chest before releasing them, sending her hands to either side of the honey blonde's face. Her palms grazed Maura's cheeks as her fingers buried themselves in soft golden tresses. Jane quickly eliminated the gap between them by pulling Maura close to her and fervidly pressing her lips to Maura's. Lips hungrily crashed against each other as Jane imbued every movement, each brush of her lips with the words that she could not yet bring herself to say. She may not be ready to utter those seemingly easy words but it didn't mean that she didn't feel them. Jane didn't take those words lightly and knew that when she would say them, she would truly and undeniably mean them.

When Jane pulled back, resting her forehead lightly against her girlfriend's, sucking in gulps of air, Maura was left lightheaded and momentarily breathless. She'd experienced amazing embraces before, certainly heart pounding ones with Jane but this one was different. Her lips tingled, yearning for the warmth of Jane's mouth to consume her once more. Her heart was pounding in her chest, she could feel the blood rushing to her head as she fought to stay balanced. She reached out, slender fingers wrapping around Jane's elbows and anchoring herself into place. They locked eyes as they breathed each other's air, Jane's thumbs gently caressing Maura's jaw. Without breaking their gaze, Maura nuzzled her cheek into Jane's palm and licked her lips slowly. Her eyes fluttered down to Jane's lips momentarily before finding Jane's warm brown eyes again. They looked almost black and the intensity Maura saw in them sent shivers down her spine.

"I don't expect you to say…" Maura hushed before being cut off by soft light kisses to her lips.

_I know_, Jane thought to herself without realizing she'd whispered the words aloud several times between kisses. Maura knew. She knew she didn't have to reassure Jane but it had felt like the appropriate thing to do. She didn't need Jane to say those three words either. The fact that they had slipped past her lips surprised her more than anything at this point. The warmth that had emanated in the pit of her stomach and bloomed outwards towards each of her extremities spoke loud and clear. She reached down, her fingers curled around the hem of Jane's shirt before slipping under it. She pressed the pads of her fingertips to toned muscles, eliciting a gasp and obvious full-body shudder from Jane. Maura smirked into their kiss as she slid her hands to Jane's sides and squeezed lightly. Jane squirmed under Maura's touch and slowly dragged her hands down Maura's arms, reaching under her own shirt to extract the other's hands. She brought Maura's hands up to her lips and slowly kissed each palm before taking a step back. Jane saw the questioning look in Maura's eyes and grinned, pulling her along towards the bedroom.

Jane guided Maura to the edge of her bed and delicately pushed down on her shoulders until the blonde sat down. Before Maura could utter a word, Jane bent at the hips, hovering over the smaller woman and captured her lips with hers once more. Planting her hands on either side of Maura, Jane steadied herself as she gently tugged at Maura's bottom lip before letting go. Her eyes dropped to swollen lips as a pink tongue swiped over them quickly. Lifting her gaze, her breath caught in her throat as brown pools locked onto dark hazel. Neither of them dared to look away for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually, Maura broke the stare by leaning back slightly and lifting her arms upwards. Jane immediately followed up by snatching the fabric of Maura's shirt and pulling it up and off of Maura's frame, allowing it to drop to the floor silently.

A shiver coursed down Maura's spine as warm lips pressed to her shoulder and trailed up to her ear. She crawled her hands up Jane's arms, wrapping her fingers around the other woman's biceps as she tilted her head to the side. Jane happily obliged, dragging the tip of her tongue down the length of Maura's exposed neck before sucking gently on her pulse point. She choked back a groan as Maura's nails dug into her flesh and slowly dropped to her knees, settling herself in between her lover's legs. She ghosted her hands across the blonde's sides and down the top of her thighs.

"Jane," Maura cooed, running her fingertips over Jane's shoulders and burying her hands in her tussled locks.

"Mmm…" came Jane's reply as she momentarily closed her eyes and tilted her head back into Maura's hands.

"Look at me…" she gently curled her fingers close to Jane's scalp. Jane lazily opened her eyes and pulled her gaze upward to meet Maura's. After some time of silently staring at each other, they both broke out into a smile. Maura pulled herself down closer to Jane, keeping her eyes fixed on the brunette's. She licked her lips slowly as she inched her face closer to Jane's and stopped only once the tip of their noses brushed against it each other. Jane leaned in, in an attempt to bridge the almost inexistent gap between them but Maura quickly pulled back with a smirk splayed on her lips. A laugh bubbled out of Jane's lips as soon as the realization sunk in that Maura was playing with their power dynamics.

"Maur," Jane purred, dragging out the 'r'. She squeezed Maura's thighs gently before running her hands up towards her hips, her thumbs pressed in on the inside, inching dangerously close to Maura's core. Even through the barrier provided by Maura's pants Jane could still feel the heat radiating from her arousal. Within seconds, warm lips hungrily covered Jane's mouth as she made quick work of undoing Maura's pants. In one fluid motion, Jane stood up, careful not to break their lip lock, and hooked her fingers in her girlfriend's pants and pulled down. As if anticipating this, Maura lifted her hips and kicked her pants off once they reached her knees.

"Must you always match?" Jane joked pulling back just enough to speak and cast her eyes down to the crimson material enveloping her breasts then further down to the matching set of low rise boy shorts she was sporting. She ran an index along the small lace trim, lifting her eyes as she did and settling them on Maura's.

"Mmm, I try," Maura stated, snaking her hands under the back of Jane's shirt, up her back ribs and over flexed shoulder muscles.

"What happens if you find a bra or underwear you like but there's no matching pair?" Jane followed up, hooking her index in the front of Maura's underwear and pulling, pretending to try to look down them.

Maura leaned back as she dragged her hands back down Jane's spine, freeing her hands from the confines of the shirt only to pull it up over Jane's head and drop it to the floor.

"That's easy. I don't buy them."

Jane straightened up, cupping Maura's cheeks in her hands and looking down at her.

"You're adorable."

She watched as Maura delicately wrinkled her nose at the compliment and pulled those hazel eyes down. Jane unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down. Maura scooted herself back into the middle of the bed and propped herself up on her elbows as Jane stepped out of her jeans. The tall brunette crawled onto the bed and made her way over to Maura, nudging her legs apart to weasel her way in between them.

"And breathtakingly beautiful," Jane murmured, running her hands up Maura's thighs, gliding them over her stomach and palming her breasts. Maura hissed, arching her back into Jane's touch before falling unceremoniously back into the bed completely and sinking her head into the pillows. Jane hovered over the small frame beneath her and dipped her head to nuzzle the crook of Maura's neck. She gently slid her arms under Maura's and settled herself lightly on top of the blonde. She kisses and nipped down pale skin, stopping and placing extra kisses to prominent freckles along the way. Jane made a trail of kisses over Maura's collarbone, down the valley between the swell of her breasts. She looked up to Maura as she dragged her tongue along the edge of her bra. Maura's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were closed as she squirmed beneath Jane.

She heaved a quivering sigh as Jane's hands snaked under her, adeptly unclasping her bra. She was midway to moving her hands to rest on Jane's back when the brunette attempted to remove her bra. Maura let out a small laugh before voicing an apology as she arched her back and allowed Jane to proceed. Jane did away with the piece of clothing, paying no attention where she was throwing it as her hand skated over Maura's breasts. She brushed her lips and swiped her tongue across one breast than the other, avoiding the area she knew Maura wanted her mouth at the most and smiled as soft whimpers escaped Maura's lips every time she neared a nipple but retreated. She was in no rush what so ever and was rejoicing in the opportunity to take her time in pouring all of herself into Maura, worshipping her for a lack of words.

"Jane," Maura hissed, arching into Jane's touch.

After a few more light kisses, Jane circled one of Maura's pert nipples with the tip of her tongue before capturing it between her teeth and gently tugging. As she lavished the same attention on the other hardened nub, her hand squeezed the other breast.

Maura shuddered as she focused her gaze on Jane, lifting one arm to scoop up brown unruly curls and push them to one side. For a brief moment, Jane cast her eyes upwards and in that fleeting moment when their eyes locked, something tugged at Maura. It was in the way Jane looked up at her. She was suddenly enveloped from the inside out by tingling warmth – warmth that indicated with no shadow of a doubt that she was loved. Jane continued to saunter down Maura's body, paying meticulous attention to every curve and dimple as if Maura were the Rosetta Stone and Jane the archaeologist who discovered it. Jane's fingers danced over her lover's ribs as she left a trail of burning kisses on an expanse creamy flesh, ending at the lace trim of Maura's underwear.

Very early on in their relationship, Jane had begun committing everything to memory from the way Maura pressed her thumb to her fingers one by one when she idly stands to the freckles that pepper her soft skin. She thought she'd discovered the obvious ones but as she grazed her lips across Maura's abdomen, she came across one that had evaded her previously. She smoothly moved her hands down to grip Maura's hips gently as she kissed with an open mouth that particularly evasive freckle. Maura gave a slight jerk as she sucked in her stomach as soon as Jane's lips pressed to her skin.

"Sensitive, are we?" Jane teased, looking up and giving Maura's hips a light squeeze.

"A little," Maura looked down and raked her fingers through Jane's hair before lightly dragging her nails at the base of her scalp, sending shivers down the brunette's spine.

Jane squeezed her eyes shut as she pressed on. She could smell Maura's intoxicating arousal and the scent was enough to push her over the edge. She hovered over Maura's center, her lips barely touching the thin fabric barrier. Quickly shifting to nip the inside of pale thighs, Jane applied pressure there with her thumbs.

She pulled away, sitting back on her heels and running her hands up and down Maura's legs. Jane crawled her hands back down to her girlfriend's hips, hooking her index fingers into her underwear, pulling them down then dropping them to the floor. Maura beckoned Jane back to her with a curl of her finger and the brunette was all too happy to oblige.

"You're still wearing too much for my liking," Maura whispered against Jane's lips as she wrapped her arms around Jane's frame.

"Is that so?" Jane smirked against Maura's soft lips.

Maura hummed a 'mmhmm' before eliminating the small distance between their lips. She went about unclasping Jane's bra as their lips slowly brushed against each other. As she slipped her fingers under her front bra straps to push them off Jane's shoulders, Maura rolled her hips upwards into Jane eliciting a groan that rumbled in the brunette's chest. Jane shifted allowing for Maura to peel the garment off of her and throw it away. As Jane lowered herself back onto Maura to return her mouth to Maura's, delightful waves of pleasure coursed through her body as their chests pressed together.

Maura ran her hands down Jane's back, slipping them inside her underwear and caressing her ass, pulling her down towards her as she pushed her hips up into Jane once more.

"Fuck!" Jane husked as she rapidly reached down to push her last piece of clothing down her thighs, wiggling out of it and kicking it off. Maura was making it increasingly more difficult for her to stick to her original plan of keeping it slow.

She fell to her side on to one hip next to Maura, her hand reached down to Maura's thigh, pulling her towards her and bringing the other woman's leg over her other hip and sliding her leg in between Maura's at the same time. Maura twisted to face Jane, bringing her free hand to Jane's side and anchoring herself firmly against her slender body. Jane pushed herself into Maura, forcing her back just a little so that she had the upper hand as she buried her face in Maura's neck. The quick cadence to Maura's breathing echoed in Jane's ear as she sucked the sensitive spot just below the blonde's ear. She relished each and every soft delicate moan that escaped Maura's lips as she massaged her thigh then behind.

Jane peppered Maura's jaw with light kisses as she worked her way from her ear then claimed Maura's lips with hers. Maura pressed the tips of her fingers into Jane's shoulder blade as she leaned into the kiss. Her tongue glided over Jane's lower lip, begging for entrance and once it was granted, she eagerly explored Jane's mouth. Jane trailed her hand around Maura's plump ass cheek, her fingers lightly brushing against her wet arousal. She retreated and brought her hand in between them to slide her fingers through slick folds, drawing out a groan from Maura's lips as she tossed her head back.

It never ceased to amaze Jane that Maura's wetness was all for her, all because of her. It caused a dull ache to pang between her legs. She ran her thumb over Maura's engorged clit, drawing circles around the sensitive nub before slowly pushing one finger than two into Maura. The blonde wrapped her arms around Jane's shoulders and bucked her hips forward, urging Jane to continue. As she pumped her fingers inside of Maura, curling them upwards on her outward strokes, Jane buried her face in between Maura's breasts. She leveraged her inward thrusts by pressing her thigh up against the back of her hand as she increased her speed.

Maura whimpered Jane's name, bracing herself with her hand firmly at the nape of her neck and applying gentle pressure. She pressed the back of her heel into Jane's lower back, drawing her near as they established a comfortable rhythm which Maura was sure would get her off quickly. Jane pushed her fingers deep and held them in then began to massage Maura's g-spot as she laved her tongue over Maura's hardened nipples. Jane resumed rubbing her lover's clit with her thumb and shifted back up to embrace Maura's kiss-swollen lips again.

A string of undecipherable gargles soon ensued as Maura threw her head back into the pillows and urgently drew Jane into her. Her body stilled except for her hips which continued to gyrate against Jane's hand as her orgasm took over her body. Jane nipped at Maura's collarbone as she continued to apply pressure with her fingers and felt muscles clench down on her fingers several times as the bursts of pleasure rolled over the smaller woman's body. Jane hissed as nails sharply bit away at the sensitive flesh of her neck and she quickly stilled her motions allowing Maura full control as she rode out her climax.

Maura settled completely onto her back as she breathed in deeply, attempting to steady her breath. Jane slowly extricated herself from Maura and gently ran her fingers through her wetness one last time before untangling herself from her girlfriend's body. She watched mesmerized as Maura's chest rose and fell with every breath, lazily pulling her gaze upwards and settling on Maura's flushed face and grinning.

"What?" Maura breathed, reaching out and brushing a few errant strands of hair off of Jane's face.

Jane propped herself up onto her elbow and leaned in to lightly kiss Maura's cheeks.

"You're glowing," she admitted.

Maura rapidly hid her face behind her hands and shook her head. Jane chuckled and peeled away Maura's hands one at a time.

"You are…" Jane assured and Maura simply bit her bottom lip before smirking.

"Thanks to you," she gushed, running her hands down Jane's sides.

Despite the small beads of sweat that had formed on her skin, Jane shivered under Maura's touch. Maura secured her hold on Jane and pulled her back on top of her. Jane planted her hands on either side of Maura's head and perked a curious brow down at the other woman. Maura leaned up and in a tantalizingly slow manner, captured Jane's bottom lip between hers and sucked softly. She dug her fingers into the flesh at Jane's hips and drew her down towards her.

"Seriously?" Jane moaned as Maura ground herself against Jane. The blonde let out a light laugh as she offered a small nod in reply.

Jane shifted around, placing one leg in between Maura's and the other curled at her side – straddling Maura's leg. With their bodies flush against each other, Jane positioned herself so that their slick centers met and slowly began to grind her hips against Maura.

"Oh fuck," Jane cried out as the sensation washed over her.

Maura wrapped her arms around Jane, her hands firmly against her back to help her keep herself anchored to Jane as her hips flowed to the movements of her body. The brunette sank her forehead into Maura's shoulder as she concentrated on hitting just the right spot and riding it out. Their breathing became syncopated as time progressed and Maura hid her face in Jane's neck, kissing and licking the salty skin she found at her disposal. She brushed brown locks aside to gain more access, and as if knowing what Maura wanted, Jane with a quick jerk of her head flipped her hair to the opposite side. Jane felt her orgasm building and quickened her motions. Maura caused Jane to cry out as she bit down hard on her shoulder, at the same time as her nails dug into her back. Jane lifted her head and kept her eyes on Maura as she watched her come undone once again. Maura writhed under her, her body convulsing as another orgasm took over her body. Jane brushed blonde tendrils from Maura's forehead and kissed her hard as she reached her own peak and felt the euphoria wash over her. Their hips slowed as Jane pulled back only to press her forehead against Maura's and look into her eyes. They silently stared at each other as they breathed each other's air for quite some time. During which Jane couldn't help but think of how her heart felt like it was about to pound its way out of her chest and she hoped regardless of being glued to Maura that the honey blonde couldn't feel it attempting to escape. She carefully and slowly rolled off of Maura, bringing herself up on all fours and gently yanking down the bed sheets. Maura jumped as the sheets moved under her and quickly pushed herself up to sit with her back against the headboard.

"Sorry," Jane gruffed, flashing Maura her pearly whites before settling back down on her back. She opened her arms, beckoning Maura to settle down against her.

Maura gingerly cuddled up to Jane's side, draping one arm over her stomach.

"It's all right," she nuzzled her cheek against Jane's shoulder.

Jane pulled the covers up over them and wrapped her arm around Maura's shoulder before lazily tracing patterns on Maura's back. She listened as a faint sigh escaped Maura, her shoulders relaxing as the breath filtered out. They lied there, content, basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Jane ran her fingers through Maura's tussled hair, twirling soft golden locks around her index as she soaked in everything about the moment.

"Do you need to get up early tomorrow?"

The only reply came as a muffled 'hmm' as Maura curled herself closer into Jane's side.

"Should I set the alarm?"

Jane was testing just how far off Maura was. No reply. She listened carefully to the lilt of Maura's breathing; the subtle sound of her sleepy intake of breath and the soft whoosh of her exhale was like music to Jane's ears. Jane dropped her head to the side and pressed her lips to Maura's forehead, burying her nose in her hair and sharply inhaling. Maura's shampoo had a hint of coconut and regardless of where she smelt it; it would always bring her back to moments like these. Moments where the world could be falling apart outside but as long as she held Maura close to her, nothing else mattered. She closed her eyes, pulling Maura closer to her and whispered,

"I love you too, Maur…"


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

**A/N:** Honestly, maybe once a week was a little ambitious. I hadn't really gotten into the swing of my graduate studies and now that I have, it's like a big black vortex that just sucks me in. Or... quicksand. The more I fight it, the deeper I sink. That seems like a better example. I apologize for the long waits between chapters. I'm took a little break from writing my fellowship applications to write this little chapter up. I feel horrible for having kept you guys waiting for so long. I hope you enjoy. It's a little foreshadowing for an upcoming chapter. Thanks again for the follows, the favourites, and the reviews. Always appreciated!

* * *

"I'm pretty sure you've tried on everything in the store, Maur," Jane grumbled as she paced the small area in front of the changing room Maura was in.

"Jane…" echoed out of the stall and Jane could hear the vexation in Maura's voice.

"Yes?" Jane asked sweetly, feigning ignorance.

Unexpectedly, the door to the changing room flung open and nearly hit Jane head-on. She dramatically stumbled back with her hands in front of her to protect herself just in case she didn't back up far enough. Luckily though, the door didn't reach her hands and she stood frozen in preparation of the impact that never came.

"Jane?"

Jane slowly opened one eye and saw Maura standing directly in front of her. She deflated and allowed for her arms to unceremoniously drop to her sides.

"Are we done?"

Maura let out a forced sigh and grabbed Jane's arm, pulling her towards the exit.

"Yes, we are."

"Here or in general?"

Jane smirked when Maura whipped her head around and narrowed her eyes at her. Once they had cleared the shop's doors, Maura let go of Jane's arm and stuffed her hands into her coat pocket.

"I asked you this morning what you wanted to do today and you said you didn't care as long as you were with me. Are you taking that back?"

Jane gasped, perhaps a little too mockingly, and immediately followed with,

"No! I just… shopping, Maur?"

Maura stopped and turned to face Jane. She pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side. Typical Maura, Jane taught to herself. That head tilt never failed to get her. Every single time. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Dinner," Jane haggled. Maura lifted an eyebrow before smiling.

"That can be arranged," she replied in a sing-song voice then turned on her heels and resumed walking down the sidewalk.

"And beer!" Jane followed up, skipping a step as she lengthened her stride to quickly catch up with Maura.

"Hmmm," Maura hummed as if she were giving the suggestion some thought.

"Or wine," Jane tried to reel Maura in with alcoholic bait.

Maura snuck her arm back around Jane's, and pulled herself up to the brunette as they continued down the street.

"Red or white?" she asked playfully and Jane immediately knew she had hooked her.

"Are you planning to indulge?" Jane waggled her eyebrows suggestively which drew out a laugh from the other.

"My place or yours?"

"Yours," Jane was quick to answer.

"Indulge," Maura was hot on her heels.

"White then."

Maura cast a sideways glance towards Jane and eyed her suspiciously.

"Perhaps a rosé…"

Something across the street caught Jane's attention as she absent-mindedly replied,

"Whatever you want, Mau…"

Seeing her opportunity, Maura pulled Jane into one last shop. The brunette halted as soon as they were within the door.

"…ra…" Maura's name hung on Jane's lips as her eyes swept the guts of the store. "What are we doing here?" Jane leaned in close and hissed in Maura's ear.

The inside of the store itself wasn't very large, but the space was well used. It made no difference to Jane though. She felt the walls closing in on her and a warm flush grow from her chest up to her face and she was certain the woman standing behind the cash register was eyeing her.

"What, Jane?"

Jane wasn't sure whether she was hyperventilating or not at this point. She was aware of how ridiculous her reaction was. She blinked a few times and waited for her vision to focus again.

"Maur… there's a wall of dildos at the back."

Maura gently gripped Jane's elbow and pulled her along towards the selection of books to their left. As she casually scanned the spines of the books, Jane couldn't wrap her mind around how composed and nonchalant Maura was being. She just randomly yanked Jane into a sex shop and was browsing books as if she were shopping for vegetables.

"Stop being such a prude, Jane," she directed towards the tall lanky brunette as her index danced across some of the titles. Jane gasped and narrowed her eyes at the blonde. Maura ignored her for a few seconds.

"Or are you forgetting that we've slept together?" She cast a side glance at Jane before smirking, "Several times might I add."

Jane scoffed and tried her hardest not to make eye contact with anyone else in the store. She unzipped her jacket before shoving her hands into her pockets and curling her shoulders forward, lingering a few steps behind Maura.

"It's all very natural. You shouldn't be ashamed," Maura tried to appease Jane as she picked up a book and started leafing through it. Jane crept up behind the blonde and lightly rested her chin on her shoulder. She peered down into the book as Maura flipped through it.

"The whips at the back next to the harnesses aren't natural…" Jane stated flatly.

Maura stifled a laugh, not so much at the statement itself but at Jane's delivery of it. She closed the book with a thud and replaced it on the shelf. She turned to face Jane and slowly slipped her hand under the brunette's jacket.

"Just indulge me, please? I'm sorry for accosting you like this… but admit it, there would have been no easier way to get you into one of these stores," Maura stated, her expression soft, belying nothing else but understanding.

Maura was absolutely right. Had she suggested they stop by a sex shop, Jane would have done everything in her power to avoid it.

"You're right…" Jane sighed, defeated.

"Besides… we've talked about this. It's not like this is coming at you completely out of left field," Maura pressed on, squeezing Jane's side gently.

"Look at you using sport lingo," Jane smirked.

"We're just looking, so there's no need to start panicking. I just want to gather some information. There's only so much the internet can provide you with."

With that said, Maura sauntered away from Jane and made her way along the left side wall. Jane stood slightly dumbfounded as she processed what Maura had just divulged.

"Wait… so whenever you said, 'I'm doing research', you were doing _research_?" Jane eliminated the distance that had just accumulated between the two of them in a few steps. She allowed herself to quickly glance at the display in front of them. It was nothing like the one a few steps away that adorned the entire back wall of the shop, but it was intimidating none the less. Phallic and non-phallic shaped objects of all colours, and others that Jane didn't dare question. Jane had done this before but it wasn't something that became easier with time or repetition. She found it rather amusing how comfortable Maura was with this entire situation. If anyone were to look in on them and scrutinize their dynamics, they could easily mistake Jane as being the 'new born' of the two. What always lingered at the back of Jane's mind was the possibility that someone would see her in the store, or entering it, or exiting it. It was such a ridiculous fear because as Maura stated, it is natural. Everyone has sex… except a select few but the majority of people engage in it.

Jane reached up and rubbed the back of her neck as Maura browsed the assortment of toys. From Jane's perspective, Maura seemed to approach this in the same way she approached a rack of cashmere shirts and the fact that she noted no differences, amused Jane.

"So… euh… have you ever, um…" Jane stumbled on her question and Maura looked up to her with a grin.

"Yes, I have," and as if it were the most natural segue, Maura continued, "What colour would you prefer?"

Jane was about to address the first half when she stopped dead upon registering the second. Two conversations at once, Maura seemed to fall into this once in a while. At first, Jane thought it was Maura's way of ending the previous conversation and striking up another but this wasn't the case.

"But why? Why would you need to?" Jane furrowed her brows.

"Just because I had sex with men _doesn't_ mean I was sexually satisfied _all_ the time," Maura stated plainly, placing particular emphasis on doesn't and all with her eyebrows lifting as if to punctuate the words even more.

Jane dropped her voice and whispered,

"You are with me though, right?"

"Of course I am. It's simply that I don't want there to be any shadow of a doubt that you do satisfy me and I don't want you to think that I'll suddenly change my mind and call us a momentarily lapse of judgment. You can give me everything I want that a man can and more."

Jane watched as Maura wrapped her fingers around the base of a display dildo and squeezed it. She immediately looked around the store to see if she was the only one to witness Maura fondle the displays and it seemed as if no other individual had taken note of it.

"Besides… wouldn't want us to develop a case of lesbian bed death," she concluded and Jane rolled her eyes as she swatted Maura's hand away from the displays.

"Would you stop that and that's it, no more searching for you. You're cut off from Google," Jane scolded.

"What?" Maura questioned innocently, "I was curious about the material. They've got so many different types of them nowadays. They say some are very life like."

"Just… don't do it like that!"

Maura let out a sigh and Jane watched as her bottom lip protruded out into a pout. Maura pouting was a rare sight but it was ridiculously adorable none the less.

"Ugh, fine. Fondle away. You are so weird," Jane admonished and crossed her arms as she stood by and allowed her girlfriend to handle various cocks. That's definitely something she never thought she'd have cross her mind.

"You never answered… what colour?" Maura never missed a beat.

"I don't know," Jane replied with a tinge of exasperation to her voice, "does it really matter?"

Maura softly rolled her shoulders in a delicate shrug before crouching down to the height of the knee high counter below the displays to read one of the information sheets on display.

"You'll be wearing it," she affirmed as if it such a simple matter.

In Maura logic that statement made complete sense but to Jane, it still really didn't matter.

"But it's not like a jacket, Maur… nobody's going to see it but you and even then…"

"I won't really be seeing it…" she pushed herself back up with her hands flat against the top of the counter.

"Exactly," Jane nodded.

"I've had my fair share of _normal_ coloured ones to last a lifetime…"

Jane grimaced and quickly cut her off,

"Okay, no need for details. I get it, you've slept with a lot of men. No need for reminders."

"Purple."

"What?"

Maura twisted to face Jane and repeated,

"Purple. The colour."

Jane nodded slowly.

"Okay, I'll try to remember that," she curiously looked down at Maura whose attention had drifted to the other side of the room. Jane followed the path of her stare and quickly jumped in before Maura launched into another barrage of questions,

"I've got one of those."

"You do?" Maura asked, her voice raising an octave with surprise.

"Erm yeah… no need for details. I have no hips," Jane gestured to her hips before tracing straight parallel lines with her hands in front of her, "a comfortable one is not an easy thing to come by for me."

Maura laughed, grabbing at Jane's hands,

"Okay, one thing less to deal with."

She squeezed Jane's hands reassuringly and smiled up at her,

"Thanks for putting up with me."

Jane made a face with a small 'mmph' sound before quickly kissing Maura,

"Do I get beer now?"

Maura playfully pushed Jane away before pulling her back by her hands and leading them towards the exit,

"C'mon."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Maura was deep in the dregs of sleep when she was woken up by Jane's cellphone vibrating on the bedside table. She flipped onto her back and gently nudged Jane to wake up.

"Jane…"

Jane grumbled and blindly swatted in the air, a failed attempt at pushing Maura's hand away. Maura shifted onto her side, and gently rocked Jane.

"Someone's calling."

"Not today, ma," Jane mumbled as she twisted onto her stomach and buried her face into her pillow.

Maura let out an exasperated sigh as she pushed herself up onto her hands and reached over Jane for the phone. She looked at the caller ID which said 'Home'.

"Jane, it's your parents."

When Jane didn't budge, Maura shrugged and answered the call.

"Hello?"

There was silence in the room as she listened.

"No need to apologize, Mr. Rizzoli. I'm fine, how are you?"

Jane stirred a little, turning her head towards Maura but keeping her eyes closed.

"Oh, that's unfortunate. Let me see if I can wake her."

She laughed as Frank made a comment about Jane not being the easiest person to wake. Maura had her ways of getting Jane to wake up in the morning but she wouldn't employ any of those methods with Jane's father on the end of the line.

"Jane, your father needs to talk to you," she held the phone up to Jane's ear as the brunette opened her eyes just enough to make out the blurry outline of her disheveled girlfriend.

"Yeah, pop?" Jane husked, closing her eyes again.

She took the phone from Maura and pushed herself up into a seated position.

"Sure, of course. I'll be there as soon as possible."

She ended the call and looked down to Maura who had stretched back down on her back, propping her head up with her arm.

"Sorry, ma used to complain how horrible I was to get up for school. I guess that hasn't changed much," Jane grinned sheepishly, raking her fingers in her loose curls, pushing them back off her face.

"Do tell why you have to leave the comfortable warm confines of my bed…"

Jane shifted her weight to lean down and hover over Maura before lightly brushing her lips against hers.

"Hmm, Frankie was supposed to help pop out with a job today but he had to cancel," she paused before continuing, "Believe me, I'd much rather stay in bed with you."

"May I tag along?" Maura asked between kisses.

Jane pulled back and looked at Maura curiously,

"Seriously? I'll be helping him swap out a toilet. It's nothing glamorous."

"I don't mind what we're doing and it's time spent with you and your father. Besides, I know a few things about plumbing."

In one languid motion, Jane pushed herself away from Maura and rolled off the bed. She shot a look over her shoulder towards Maura and grinned,

"Oh you do, do you?"

Maura offered an adorable contented smile and a small dip of her chin,

"I do."

Slowly the lanky brunette stood, extending her arms high above her head and stretching with a loud satisfactory groan. Maura's gaze roamed from Jane's shoulders downwards as her muscles undulated from top to bottom with the stretch. She chewed on her lower lip as she continued to watch Jane busy herself with getting dressed.

Jane slowly pulled her t-shirt over her head and scooped out her hair from inside of it before looking back to Maura.

"You're going to have to get out of bed if you want to join," she teased.

Maura wrinkled her nose before heaving a loud sigh and hauling herself up out of bed.

"I'll go make us some coffee for the road," Jane suggested, turning on her heels and disappearing to the kitchen.

When Maura joined Jane in the kitchen, she had donned a pair of jeans and an oversized knit sweater that hung loosely off one shoulder.

"Comfy clothes?" Jane remarked as she finished up with the coffee machine.

Maura narrowed her eyes at Jane before peeking at the coffee machine. She smiled as she remembered how Jane would often refer to her encounters with the coffee machine as 'Jane vs. Machine' and the machine often won.

Maura lightly placed her hand at the small of Jane's back and leaned forward onto the ball of her feet to press her lips to Jane's temple. Jane turned to face Maura and gave her a crooked smile.

"What was that for?"

"Because I wanted to," Maura asserted.

"And here I thought it was because I'd finally mastered your chi-chi coffee machine," Jane stated, eyeing the machine as if it had personally done her wrong.

Maura laughed and patted her girlfriend's hip before moving around her to reach for some travel mugs. Once the coffee was ready, Jane made her way to the fridge to get the milk and cream. She stood for a moment, staring at the insides of Maura's refrigerator and marveled at just how accommodating Maura was to her. There were so many items now in Maura's fridge that she knew had not been there before they had met and it made her grin goofily. She pulled out the items before returning to the counter where Maura had already filled the mugs and was now busy adding the sugar – white as Jane preferred it and after a heated debate one night which had led to some research, Maura finally converted as there really were no great benefits to brown over white. As Maura finished, Jane tentatively reached over and slid her coffee over to add some coffee cream and placed the lid on it before doing the same for Maura's but adding some milk.

Once everything had been put away, they bundled up and hit the road.

* * *

"Oh, thank god you're here, Janie!" exclaimed Frank as he heard the front door close.

"Hey pop. I brought along Maura, I hope you don't mind," she exclaimed, not sure where he was in the house.

"Not a problem!" came a disembodied voice, "Take a right at the hallway and you'll find the bathroom. I've already turned off the water and the shut-off valve. I was just about to start draining the tank."

Jane shrugged off her jacket and extended her arm waiting for Maura to do the same. Once they'd shed their coats, she placed them over the arm of a nearby couch as they walked through the living room. Jane had no idea whose house this was but their home décor needed a facelift.

They found Frank hunched over the old porcelain thrown, emptying the tank. He looked up to them as they stood in the door jam and smiled,

"Nice to see you, Maura."

Maura smiled fondly in return.

"It's nice to see you too, Mr. Rizzoli."

He waved in the air and scoffed,

"Call me Frank. How many times must I remind you?"

Jane laughed as she stepped in and squatted down next to him.

"I've got this. You and Maura go get the new toilet from the van," Jane stated.

Frank stretched his legs and stood, looking over to Maura and giving her a questioning look.

"I'm stronger than I look," Maura declared confidently.

Jane just about laughed again but morphed it into a fake cough which granted her a glare from Maura.

"What? Just a throat itch," she feigned as she finished emptying the tank.

Maura reached out and gently grabbed Frank's arm to pull him towards the front door.

By the time they'd retrieve the new toilet from the van and maneuvered it into the house, Jane had already removed the tank, unscrewed the connector and removed the bolts holding the toilet down. She needed help to pick it up and move it out of the bathroom.

"You know, Jane, she may just be stronger than you," Frank joked. Jane huffed in response, standing up and placing her hands on her hips.

"Pop, you're treading dangerous waters," Jane cautioned playfully.

"Help me move this out of here," she nodded towards Maura. Frank quickly exited into the hall where he laid out several towels which Jane and Maura placed the upended toilet base down on.

"Did you know the earliest mechanism resembling the toilet was found in Britain roughly around the 31st century BC?" Maura happily questioned as they walked back to the bathroom.

Jane shook her head and shrugged her shoulders,

"No, I definitely did not know that."

"Have you ever heard of Thomas Crapper?" Frank chimed in which made Maura beam.

"I have! Although not the original inventor, his plumbing company made the siphon system popular."

"Year?" Frank goaded her and Jane couldn't believe he was feeding into her encyclopedic ways.

"Hmm," Maura bit her bottom lip, "1880s?"

Frank pointed at her and exclaimed, "Bingo! You know more than Jane."

Jane rolled her eyes and sighed,

"Enough with this old 1880s Crapper… can we deal with this crapper here?"

"Oh yeah, of course!" Frank expressed with a little lift of his shoulders as if he had forgotten why they were all gathered in that particular bathroom.

Jane and Frank went about installing the new toilet and were every now and then interrupted by one of Maura's questions. Frank obliged and happily answered all of them. Jane simply relished how patient her father was with Maura. Not everyone found it within themselves to tolerate her never ending journey for knowledge. When they were finally finished and they had turned the main water back on and the shut-off valve, they waited about for a while to see if there were any leaks. They talked about what Angela was possibly making for dinner to pass time.

After they finished up at the house, Frank convinced Maura to join them for dinner and they now found themselves back at the Rizzoli household.

"Thank you ladies for helping out today," Frank expressed his gratitude as he kicked off his boots and put his coat away.

"It's nothing, pop," Jane waved him off, "Why did Frankie cancel last minute anyway?"

As Jane and Frank settled into the living room, Maura excused herself to go say hello to Angela.

"He didn't really say why. He called this morning and just cancelled."

"Must have been something important though. Frankie is usually pretty good about these kind of things," Jane said.

"Things come up," Frank gruffed as he picked up the remote and settled into the couch.

"I'm going to go check on Maura. You know how ma can get," Jane explained before disappearing into the kitchen.

The smell of Angela's cooking invaded her nostrils and caused Jane to stop as soon as she'd stepped into the kitchen. She inhaled sharply and closed her eyes. The delectable notes of garlic and rosemary from her mother's marinade for the lamb she was cooking drew out a low rumbling groan. The other two women stopped what they were doing and looked over to Jane.

"Janie?" Angela tried to bring her daughter back.

Jane came to and looked across to Angela and Maura.

"Smells delicious, ma," Jane grinned.

"Your mother was just suggesting that she teach me a few of her recipes one of these days," Maura divulged.

"Her recipes, hmm?" Jane questioned suspiciously as she stepped up to the counter and eyed her mother.

"Well," Angela fumbled, "they are my recipes in _some _ways. I've added a spice here or there."

Jane nodded slowly, pursing her lips before explaining,

"The majority of my ma's recipes were my nonna's. I don't think the woman ever felt as at ease anywhere as she did in her kitchen."

"Your nonna would approve of the changes I made to her recipes. I've made them better," Angela remarked as she pulled out plates and handed them to Jane.

"Would you girls mind setting the table?"

Regardless of the amount of times Maura joined the Rizzolis for dinner, she was always taken aback by the homeliness and warmth found around the table. It was a feeling that she hoped that she would never have to part with.

Angela walked out of the kitchen carrying the usual after dinner coffee and served everyone.

"Thank you, Angela," Maura smiled as she happily took hers.

"So, ma, where are Tommy and Frankie?" Jane sipped her coffee slowly before setting it down on the table.

Angela shrugged as she sat back down and mumbled something that sounded like 'out' over the lip of her cup.

"Out?" Jane repeated, sitting up in her chair.

"What's it to you? Your brothers can take care of themselves." Angela asked defensively.

Jane shrugged and mumbled something none of them understood. Maura kept looking from Jane to Angela and back as nobody said anything.

"Janie, your birthday is coming up. Are you doing anything?" Angela asked as if it were the most natural segue. Jane looked at her mother with a perplexed look. Maura turned to look at Jane and perked a curious brow.

"You didn't mention your birthday…" Maura admonished causing Jane to slightly cringe.

"I didn't mention it because _I _don't like to make a big deal out of it. Ma, however, likes to invite the entire neighbourhood."

She blew out a sigh as she fingered the handle of her cup, bracing herself for the storm she had possibly unleashed. Perhaps Angela would compose herself due to Maura's presence.

"So I like to celebrate the day my first and only daughter was born! What's so wrong with that?" Angela retorted gesturing emphatically with her hands. Frank reached out to grab Angela's hands,

"Ange…" he said in his calm voice which stopped her gesturing. She looked over to her husband with a defeated look on her face.

"Ma…" Jane sighed, making sure to choose her words carefully, "It's not that I haven't appreciated all your hard work in the past putting together birthday shindigs but… can it just be low key this year?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Your birthdays have always been low key!" Angela explained with flair.

Jane screwed her eyes shut and breathed in deeply,

"Not Italian low key, just… regular low key," she opened her eyes to look over to her mother and smiled, "Just you, pop, Frankie, Tommy, and Maura."

She slowly looked over to Maura before adding, "If she isn't upset that I didn't tell her about my upcoming birthday and wants to come that is."

Maura offered a small smile as she reached out and gently squeezed Jane's knee.

"I'm not upset, Jane. It would be rather hypocritical of me to be considering…"

Maura wasn't generally the type to rehash embarrassing moments, especially drunk embarrassing ones as they happened so rarely. She certainly wasn't going to elaborate in front of Jane's parents who saw her as a well rounded and collected woman and as a good influence on Jane who Maura honestly didn't think needed any influencing. Jane would never forget that incident. She had shown up at Maura's house after a short text message only to find Maura intoxicated and alone, in shambles because her mother had cancelled dinner on her birthday.

"So… I'll take that as you'll be there. Yes?"

"Of course," Maura replied as if it were the most obvious thing.

Angela was looking between the two of them and Frank saw the look in her eyes and shook his head, mouthing the word 'no'. She frowned, looking at him and whispering 'what?!' but even whispering, Jane heard her.

"What is it, ma? You look like you're dying to ask something."

Angela shied away as soon as all eyes were on her. Her nosiness was often unconscious but whenever people made a point to draw attention to it, she felt rather ashamed of her invasiveness. She turned her coffee cup a few times before asking,

"It's just… considering what?"

Jane smirked in Maura's direction,

"That's Maura's story to tell…"

She stretched back into her seat and sipped her coffee. Maura shifted in her chair, inching closer to the front of it and straightening her back.

"Well…" she pulled her gaze away from Jane and locked her eyes on Angela, "I brought up hypocrisy because I didn't tell Jane about my birthday but in all fairness, we were still just friends and had only seen each other a few times."

"This is all true," Jane nodded and waved in the air, urging Maura to continue.

"Originally, my birthday plans were with my mother. We were supposed to have dinner together but that didn't happen and I thoughtlessly consumed far too much wine in a rather self destructive and pitying mood and made a spectacle of myself in front of Jane."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetie," Angela's face softened and Maura quickly smiled, hoping to show that it really wasn't such a huge ordeal.

Jane knew better though. She knew that Maura tried to put on a tough front when it came to her relationship with her mother. Ever since Marseille, she understood their family dynamics slightly better but she still couldn't ever fully forgive Maura's parents for not trying harder to be there for their daughter, regardless of how independent she seemed growing up.

"Your daughter, by the way, was a godsend that evening," Maura began and Jane just sank into her seat. She was never good at accepting praise.

"You raised her to be a fine woman," Maura finished, causing Angela to beam with pride.

"Now if only I'd raised a daughter who allowed her mother to celebrate her birthday!" Angela noted, gesturing towards Jane.

Jane rolled her eyes and sighed,

"Nobody said you couldn't… just us, okay?"

"Fine… fine…" Angela accepted with a light tone of dejection tainting her voice. Maura furrowed her brow as she studied Angela's features. She leaned closer to Jane and whispered,

"Jane… why is your mother making that face?"

Jane knew there was something else now bothering her mother from the look on her face. It was as if she'd just eaten something awful but was attempting her best not to show it.

"There's something else," Jane stated flatly.

"Well…" Angela began, hesitant to continue, her eyes slowly sweeping over towards Maura.

"It's all right, Angela, you can ask me," Maura urged her on, knowing that Angela's hesitancy stemmed from Jane's unwillingness to open up and discuss her private life.

"You don't have a close relationship with your mother, do you?"

"Ma!" Jane huffed and Angela scowled at her.

"What? She said I could ask."

"Not like that!" Jane grumbled, looking over to Maura and offering up an apologetic look on behalf of her mother.

Frank fidgeted in his seat before finally pushing it away from the table. As he stood up, he stooped down and placed a kiss to Angela's cheek before excusing himself. Maura watched as Frank exited the dining room before turning her attention back to Angela.

"No, we aren't what you'd call close," Maura paused before continuing, "In my mother's defense, I was an odd child, very independent. I spent a lot of time alone... there was a lot of benign neglect and I didn't ask for much. I'm sure my parents hadn't expected to adopt a child like myself."

"Oh, sweetie," Angela breathed, and Maura scrunched her nose at the pained expression on Angela's face.

"It's quite all right. My parents have their own unique way of expressing their love. There are few moments like my birthday and they do try. They are just very busy."

The more time she spent with Jane and her family, and the more she spoke about her own relationship with her parents, the odder it seemed. She couldn't make up for the past but her parents had been making an active effort to check in with her more since Marseille. Without saying another word, Angela was at Maura's side and pulling her into a bear hug.

"If you ever need anything, you know where to find me," Angela gushed, squeezing Maura one last time.

Jane mouthed 'I am so sorry' to Maura as she was engulfed by her mother. Maura allowed herself to relax into Angela's hug and offered up a small smile to Jane. It felt rather nice to be embraced so tenderly. Not that the affection from Jane wasn't enjoyable but this was an altogether different kind of affection. This kind of tenderness was coming from someone who wasn't obligated to like her simply because she was dating their daughter. Angela could dislike her for whatever reason but she didn't and even if she didn't, she wasn't required to make herself available in such a way to Maura.

"Thank you, Angela," Maura managed to say as she returned the embrace.

Angela smoothed a palm over Maura's curls as she pulled away and fixed her eyes on Jane.

"The same goes for you, missy," she reached out, gently grabbing Jane's chin between her thumb and index and giving Jane's head a gentle shake. Jane swatted at her mother's hand and pulled back,

"I know, I know," she grumbled.

"Always so resistant! I don't know why. Heaven knows you've got a gentle heart, Janie," she sighed, slightly exasperated.

"She's not like this with you, is she?" Angela questioned, looking down to Maura.

Maura shifted her gaze skywards, making brief eye contact with Angela, before looking over to Jane. A slow smile crept across her lips as she shook her head,

"No… no, she's not."

A warmth erupted inside the pit of Jane's stomach under Maura's loving gaze. It soon spread out towards her extremities, morphing into a kind of tingling feeling across her skin. She felt her face grow warm and was certain that her cheeks were turning a dark crimson. She could only hope that her mother wouldn't notice.

"Good!" Angela exclaimed, wrenching them both out of that shared moment and catapulting them back to the present. The older woman reached down, cradling Maura's face in the palm of her hands. Jane was impressed at the fact that Maura hadn't flinched or recoiled yet from all her mother's touching.

"You are so good for my Jane," Angela gushed and within a split second, she let go of Maura and pointed a finger at Jane,

"Don't screw it up."

A small breathy laugh escaped Maura's lips at the exchange but she turned serious upon seeing Jane raise her hands and frown.

"Me? Okay, can we just go back to talking about my birthday? How did we even get here?" Jane shot back.

Angela simply laughed, gesturing about in front of her with one hand as she reached for their empty cups.

"See? She's never been one to talk much about her feelings, or relationships. She talks with Frank sometimes but me… no. I don't know why."

Maura worried her lower lip and kept silent as Angela went about mumbling to herself and clearing off the table. She continued to talk as she exited into the kitchen and re-entered afterwards empty handed.

"I just don't get it," she sighed and looked at both of them as if they had been able to follow the conversation despite it being cut off while she disappeared into the kitchen.

Jane let out a breath before slowly standing.

"Ma, it's not you. It's me and before you launch into another spiel… no, you didn't go wrong somewhere down the line of raising me. It's just… who I am."

Jane walked over to her mother and lightly placed her hands on her mother's upper arms, giving a gentle squeeze.

"Look… you can throw me a birthday party. Okay?"

Maura knit her eyebrows, attempting to understand the connection between Jane's unwillingness to discuss personal issues with her mother and Angela throwing her a birthday party. Clearly, the connection wasn't such a difficult one to make for the Rizzoli women as Angela smiled and pulled Jane into a tight hug.

"Thank you," Angela exclaimed.

Jane had somehow walked right into that trap and saw no other way to free herself from it than to cease and desist. If throwing Jane a birthday party would somehow validate Angela's motherhood and give her some sense of meaning and pride then it was the least Jane could do. This charade was nothing new to Jane. Her mother enacted some version of it every year and the outcome was always the same. Jane had come to accept that her mother would probably be throwing her big birthday bashes until she couldn't anymore. Why should Jane be the person to take away that pleasure? She could bare the annoying family members she cared little to mingle with. She could put on a smile for a few hours if it meant that her mother was happy. She may not openly share personal accounts with her mother but she did, in other subtle ways, allow for moments where their bond as mother daughter could be tenable and reaffirmed. Their relationship was unlike many other mother-daughter ones but there was never any moment in her life that Jane felt unloved or neglected. The same could be said for Angela also. She may complain about her distant daughter but she knew that Jane appreciated and loved her. Those facts were never disputable.

Besides, how terrible could this birthday be? She'd have Maura by her side.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

**A/N: I apologize that it's been so incredibly long since the last update and I left you guys hanging... and I hate to say but I'll be leaving you hanging for a bit longer with this one too. However, on the plus side, I'm enjoying my brief Christmas break before classes start up again in January and I hope to pound out a few more updates before that happens. Hope all your festivities were enjoyable and Happy New Year! **

* * *

"Happy birthday to youuuuuu," the gathering of family members and friends crowed as Jane sat, eyes averted down to the 'cake' that Angela had prepared with Maura's help. Truthfully, it wasn't a traditional cake one would expect to see at a birthday celebration. From an early age, Jane had begun to critique the pink frosted cakes Angela would pick for her. After consecutive years of complaining, Jane's late nonna took on the task of baking a different traditional Italian dessert for her grand-daughter's birthday until Jane declared that tiramisu was her favourite. It has since become Jane's birthday 'cake' and Angela has attempted her best to duplicate nonna's recipe as best as she can since she passed.

Jane took a moment before blowing out her candles, submerging the room in darkness for but a second. In that moment, however, she thought of her nonna and how proud she'd be of Jane if she still were here. She breathed a sigh and allowed for the thought to wash over her just as the lights flickered back on, illuminating the faces of all those gathered. The usual Rizzoli clan crowded the table to be nearest to Jane. Friends of the family stood around, scattered about the room. Many of them had had the chance to witness Jane grow up as they lived in the surrounding neighbourhood. Maura stood by Jane's side, observing everything happening around her, relishing the loving gazes directed towards her girlfriend. Angela, who stood on Jane's other side, wrapped her arms around her daughter, planting her hands firmly on the side of her face and pulling her in closely for a hug.

"Happy birthday, Janie!"

Jane scrunched her face, squeezing her eyes shut and attempted to wrestle her way out of her mother's bear like grip.

"Ma, don't you think I'm getting a little old for all these candles?" Jane finally pried herself away, her face red from the extertion.

"You're never too old for candles," Tommy reached out, avoiding a swat from Angela, and swiped a candle from the tiramisu platter. He grinned happily as he cleaned the end of the candle.

"Candles are the best part, sis," he continued.

"Okay, okay. Can we just cap it at like 20 candles or something from now on? If we were to put all the candles on ma's birthday cake, we'd…" Jane stopped herself, mumbling the end of her sentence as her mother towered over her.

"We'd what, Janie?"

As she slowly rose from her seat, Jane hurriedly plucked out the candles and placed them down on the table top.

"… need a bigger cake," she teased before quickly dodging Angela's swat and hiding behind Maura. With her fingers gently wrapped around the blonde's biceps, she poked her head around Maura's left shoulder, narrowing her eyes towards her mother.

"Oooh, hide behind Maura, that's real grown-up of you, Jane!" Angela jokingly scolded.

Maura twisted slightly in Jane's grip to look at her and rose a delicate brow,

"I don't remember consenting to being used as a human shield."

Jane's fingers loosened on Maura as the corners of her lips curled up into an amused smirk.

"It's all in the fine print," she teased.

The Rizzoli men roared with laughter.

"What?" Maura looked about curiously, wondering if it was something she'd done or said.

Angela eyed her husband suspiciously, and it dawned on Maura that this was a Rizzoli thing. Jane hadn't bothered to clarify and waited, contently, as she watched her girlfriend's expression change as it became clear.

"It's okay, Maura, us girls can stick together. We know what it's like to have to put up with a Rizzoli," Angela reached out for Maura and pulled her out of Jane's grasp, and into a big hug.

"Ma!" Jane cried out.

"What? It's true! You're a Rizzoli through and through, Janie. If Maura was a guy, I'd do the same," Angela retorted. Maura lightly laughed as she extricated herself from Angela's arms.

"Can we eat this tiramisu, already? It smells delicious!" Tommy exclaimed, leaning down and inhaling deeply.

Jane couldn't deny that the strong aroma of the lady fingers soaked in espresso was mouthwatering. She could never imagine being able to prepare the dish without dipping into just about every component that went into making it. This was probably one of the main reasons Angela, more often than not, kicked Jane out of the kitchen.

"Let's!" Jane stepped out from behind Maura and grinned, "This looks amazing. Ma, you and Maur did a wonderful job. I think nonna would be proud."

"Thank you for allowing me to help, Angela," Maura began, "I appreciate any opportunity to spend some time in the kitchen."

Angela grandly gestured in the air, waving towards Maura as if it was nothing.

"Oh, sweetie, I enjoy the company. Janie always picked at everything."

"Ma!" Jane groaned, stopping in the middle of cutting up the tiramisu.

"What?!" Angela exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air at shoulder height, "It's the truth! You used to tell me that you needed to make sure that every step tasted right."

Maura stifled a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. It seemed very much like Jane to come up with such an excuse. Jane finished cutting up the tiramisu, serving herself the biggest piece before jokingly pointing at Maura,

"You! For that you get served last," Jane attempted to scowl but couldn't pull it off convincingly. None the less, Maura feigned a pout, dropping her hands and clasping them in front of herself. Jane exaggerated a sigh, rolling her eyes dramatically before quickly closing the gap between them as she skillfully balanced her plate in one hand and kissed Maura's cheek lightly.

"I can't say no to that pout," she grinned, "I'll share my piece with you since I cut myself a generous piece."

"Whoa, Jane sharing her cake? I hope you realize how serious that is, Maura," Frankie stepped up and grabbed himself a piece.

The blonde picked up a fork and as she dug into Jane's piece of tiramisu, perked a brow curiously.

"Is that so?" she questioned.

Jane shrugged as if it were no big deal,

"Don't listen to him. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

Frankie momentarily stopped shoveling bits of tiramisu into his mouth to scoff and throw back at Jane,

"Excuse me but let's all take a moment to remember your 15th birthday party when ma asked you to share since there was no cake left and you wouldn't budge an inch. You wanted that entire piece of cake all to yourself."

"Yeah, well… shut it, Frankie!" Jane had no good come back for that one. It was true. When it came to desserts, especially if it was her birthday, she wasn't the best person to ask to share. As Jane was attempting to come up with a witty comeback for Frankie, Maura stealthily took a forkful of Jane's piece of cake. She had just placed the fork into her mouth when Jane whipped her head around and locked her eyes on her.

"Maura!"

The blonde took a moment to enjoy the flavours as they melted in her mouth before attempting her most innocent smile with a small tilt of her head.

"Yes, Jane?"

The tall brunette smirked as her eyes dropped down to Maura's lips, and in that moment, she forgot they were surrounded by family and friends, she eliminated the space between them and kissed the corner of her mouth before whispering,

"Nothing. You had some cream just there," she smoothed her thumb over the flesh she'd just kissed.

Frank Sr cleared his throat,

"Should we do gifts while people enjoy the cake?"

Maura slowly closed her eyes and sucked in a sharp breath, as she was instantaneously reminded that they weren't alone. Her cheeks flushed and a warmth blossomed in the pit of her stomach. Jane took one quick bite of her cake before handing the plate to Maura,

"There better be some left when I'm done," she teased before turning back to her father.

"Lay 'em on me, pop."

* * *

Two pairs of softball sliding shorts, a set of batting gloves, and new cleats later, Jane was nearing the end of the gift pile. Some distant relatives would often send greeting cards and Angela always insisted that Jane save them for later so that she could open them all at the same time. No matter how much Jane argued about how tedious opening a dozen of cards all at once was, Angela always won.

While Jane was tackling the fifth card in the pile, Angela gently pulled Maura off to the side.

"So did you get it done?" Angela whispered, raising both brows skywards.

Caught off guard, it took Maura a second to connect the dots. When it dawned on her, she nodded quickly and smiled,

"Yes but I was thinking of giving it to her later… when we are alone."

Seeing the puzzled look on Angela's face, Maura pushed on,

"Because of how Jane is… I feel as though she wouldn't want to get emotional in front of friends and family."

"You think she'll get emotional?" Angela challenged, her fingers lightly squeezing Maura's elbow.

"Hey! What are you two whispering about over there?" Jane shouted over her shoulder, lightly hissing at them.

Maura apologetically looked over to Jane,

"Nothing," Maura smiled and directed a rushed whisper at Angela, "I don't want to risk it."

"If you think that's best," Angela finished before raising her voice, "Are you all done with the cards, Janie?"

Jane surveyed Maura's hands, noticing that she was no longer holding their shared cake. She looked around quickly and finally spotted that the plate had been laid down just next to her.

"Yeah, all of them," Jane replied, mouth full of tiramisu.

"Jane, don't talk with your mouth full. You're an adult for crying out loud! I shouldn't have to remind you anymore."

Jane dramatically swallowed before replying,

"All right, all right."

Maura noticed Jane eyeing the gift bag she'd brought in earlier. She had put a lot of thought into this particular gift, even if it wasn't the _real _gift. It was a gift, that's for certain, however, this was just something for Jane to open in front of her family and friends. What Angela had been referring to was the _real _gift and it was something that they'd discussed together. Maura consulted with Angela as to what she should get for Jane's birthday. Maura really hadn't given it much thought before but Jane was particularly difficult to shop for.

"I guess you can open mine next," Maura sing-songed as she scooped the gift bag up and in one swift motion, placed it down in front of Jane as she kissed her cheek lightly,

"Happy birthday."

Jane began to delicately extricate one piece of tissue paper at a time.

"C'mon, Jane! Just tear into it," Maura encouraged, ripping out another sheet, crumpling it and tossing it at Jane. The brunette caught the crumpled tissue and lobbed it back at Maura before pulling the rest of the tissue paper out of the gift bag.

"No way!" Jane shouted, standing up as she looked into the bag.

"What is it?" Tommy enquired, attempting to peek into the bag.

Jane pulled out a Red Sox home jersey, holding it up for a moment before flipping it over in her hands.

"It's an authentic Manny Ramirez jersey!"

"No way!" Frankie and Tommy exclaimed in unison. They made a grab for the jersey to look at it but Jane stood up and held it out of their way.

"Nuh uh. My jersey! Get your grubby little fingers off of it."

Jane quickly pulled off her t-shirt, standing for but a minute in her tank top before pulling on the jersey.

"Peeerrfect!" Jane beamed, smoothing her hands down the front. She looked up to her girlfriend and pulled her in for a hug,

"Thank you, Maur. I love it," she expressed, pressing her lips to Maura's forehead.

"I'm glad you like it," Maura mumbled into Jane's neck.

* * *

By the end of the night, Frank and Angela had had their fare share of wine and were rosy cheeked and for Frank, he was chattier than usual, as for Angela, if it were possible, she was louder than her regular self. Tommy and Frankie had retired to the living room to play some video games and slowly the guests started filtering out of the house, wishing their good wishes to Jane for the upcoming year.

Maura cornered Jane just outside of the door leading down to her bedroom after she'd finished bringing down all her gifts and cards.

"So you had a good time?" Maura asked, running her fingers up the back of Jane's arms. She played with the edge of the jersey Jane was still wearing. Jane nodded, leaning back against the wall and dropping her hands to Maura's waist.

"So…" Jane began, slipping her fingers under the hem of Maura's shirt. The pads of Jane's fingers skated against warm soft flesh, drawing out a full body shiver from the blonde.

"So…" Maura replied, a small playful smiling tugging at her lips. She leaned in, painfully slowly, and stopped, her lips barely grazing Jane's.

"There's a certain something I couldn't include in that gift bag. It just wouldn't have been appropriate," Maura murmured against the brunette's lips.

The power Maura wielded over her still took Jane by surprise. Never had she succumbed so easily to anyone before. She was thankful for the wall she was currently leaning back against as she felt her knees buckle underneath her. She closed her eyes as she breathed in slowly,

"Hmmm… might this be birthday sex?" she whispered, keeping her eyes shut.

A small light laugh escaped Maura's lips, and Jane felt her warm breath against her lips. The smaller woman leaned up on the ball of her feet and slowly brushed her lips against Jane's.

"Mmmhmm," she hummed, "afterwards… I'm going to take you home… undress you…" she punctuated every pause with a delicate and slow kiss.

"And?" Jane pressed on, feeling her extremities tingle with anticipation.

"I'm going to kiss every part of your body," Maura continued. Maura's voice was so sultry and the timber low that Jane's fingers pressed gently into Maura's hips, pulling her as close as possible. She exhaled slowly as her lips crushed Maura's, her tongue immediately seeking the warmth of her girlfriend's mouth. Jane curled the tip of her tongue and flicked it against Maura's, drawing out a barely audible moan. She savoured the flavours of the red wine and espresso Maura had delighted in throughout the night, the mixture an odd combination yet it made Jane's head spin. She pulled back just long enough to insist,

"Can we get out of here as soon as possible?"

Maura dipped her chin, taking advantage of being alone in the dimly lit hallway and placed a few light kisses to Jane's jaw.

"As much as I love to see you in that jersey, I want you out of it."

"I'll get our jackets, you grab the keys. We'll sneak out."

"Meet up in five."

"You learn quickly," Jane teased before peeling herself off the wall and reluctantly pulling herself away from Maura. She was about to walk away when Maura pulled her back in for another quick kiss,

"I learnt from the best."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

**A/N: **I hope everyone had a really amazing holiday season regardless of what holiday you celebrate and if you don't celebrate any, happy winter solstice! :) Classes have started back up and I'm going to try to update more often but it depends on course work really. I'm going to try to be more diligent about it this time around as it's not a completely new experience but I'm not going to make any promises. In the mean time, thank you for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this little bit of smut. Words are my equivalent of foreplay so it's a longer chapter than usual.

* * *

Maura had witnessed Jane put together her things quickly before but never _this _quickly. Within minutes, Jane had assembled an overnight bag and was about to swing on her coat when Frankie walked up to her.

"You headin' out, Jane?"

She shrugged on her jacket as she nodded,

"Yeah, going to spend the night at Maura's."

Frankie raised his eyebrows suggestively and gave a low whistle,

"Spend the night, eh?"

Jane slapped Frankie's upper arm and shushed him, looking around quickly to see if anyone was within earshot. No one in sight. She breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't kidding herself, her parents knew that she was and had been sexual active for quite some time. However, some of the worry was relieved when she had actually come out to them. They didn't have to worry about possible unwanted pregnancies. They had had one talk and that was it. She wasn't overly comfortable with discussing it or mentioning it. It just wasn't something that was easily or openly discussed in the Rizzoli household. It was as if a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy had been silently implemented and everyone agreed upon it. The rule applied between parents and children, however, Frankie and Tommy often goaded her.

"Jane?"

Jane whirled around hearing Maura.

"Yeah?"

"Your parents just want to say goodbye and then we can head out. They're in the kitchen," Maura approached Jane, placing a light hand to her arm,

"This is the tipsiest I've seen them. Just thought I'd warn you… your mother hugged me at least five times before allowing me to leave."

Jane nodded slowly and mouthed 'Okay' before heading into the kitchen.

Maura had barely pushed the key into her front door when Jane's hands began creeping up her sides. She attempted to push Jane's hands away, squirming under Jane's touch despite her coat.

"Jane!" she reprimanded, finally getting the door unlocked.

Jane's warm laugh funneled into her ear as the taller women pushed up behind her. Jane scooped blonde locks to the side and pressed her lips to the soft skin behind Maura's ear, trailing down her neck. Maura struggled with the door knob, squeezing her eyes shut as Jane sucked at her pulse point. The brunette's name gurgled in Maura's throat as the blonde melted into Jane's embrace.

"What was that?" Jane teased, reaching out and twisting the door handle then pushing the door open. Maura stumbled forward, turning quickly on her heels to face Jane as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Jane wasted no time at shedding her coat, letting it fall disgracefully to the floor. She ignored the slight wrinkling of Maura's nose as hazel eyes dropped with it.

"Jane…"

Jane reached out, and gently grasped Maura's hands in her own, brushing her lips lightly over her girlfriend's.

"Shhh, I'll worry about it tomorrow."

"Don't placate me," Maura mumbled between kisses.

The lanky brunette pressed a slender finder to Maura's lips as a laugh escaped hers. She cupped the blonde's cheek with her other hand, gently stroking her thumb over the other's jaw.

"Just… shh," Jane smirked into the kiss, cradling Maura's face with both hands now.

Jane's smirk grew as she felt Maura give into the caresses and kisses. The blonde curled her fingers into the jersey at Jane's sides and pulled her closer. Slowly dragging her fingers down the sides of Maura's neck, Jane reached the top button of her girlfriend's coat and nimbly began to unbutton the garment.

"The drive here was excruciating…" Jane whispered as she slowly slid her hands under Maura's coat, over her shoulders, pushing it off her frame, "Especially after what you said."

Maura attempted to gracefully step out of her boots as she kept her eyes on Jane but wobbled to the left and just about lost her balance. She reached out and gripped Jane's biceps to steady herself. Jane chuckled, lending a hand as Maura stepped out of one boot than the other. The height difference was now even more evident as Maura peeked up towards Jane.

"I have something else for you. I didn't want to give it to you in front of friends and family just in case…"

Maura watched as Jane's brow furrowed and she quickly crouched down to rummage through her coat pocket to extract a small jewelry box.

"Maur…"

Maura's eyes shot up and she quickly straightened up realizing how this must look.

"No, no… it's just… well, here…" she took Jane's hand and flipped it palm up to place the box down in it, "open it."

"Maura," Jane stated again, more firmly, "You've already given me so much."

She fidgeted with the box before finally cracking it open. At the sight of the box' content, Jane let out a soft sigh and with trembling hands, she ran her index over the soft surface of the ring.

"Is this…" Jane choked on the words, "is this my nonna's ring?"

Maura stood with hands clasped in front of her. She had given this gift a lot of thought, even more than the jersey, and even now she was quite unsure it was the right thing to do. She remained quiet and as she nervously chewed her lower lip, she offered nothing but a simple nod to Jane's question.

"But…" Jane briefly looked up, and in that moment, when pools of chocolate locked on hazel, Maura knew it had been the right thing to do.

"It broke… years ago," she continued, "I looked into getting it repaired but because of the engraving, I couldn't afford it at the time. How…"

She removed the ring from its enclosing cushion and flipped it over in her palm. She could see the cursive inscription on the inside by the glow of the moon coming in from the big windows. It was a simple ring and there lay its biggest charm for Jane. It was a plain silver band, no diamonds, no fancy handiwork, the only appeal was the cursive engraving her nonno had had done before giving it to her nonna. She'd never met her grandfather, however, she'd heard wonderful stories of the kind of man he was from her nonna.

"L'amore sempre…" Jane murmured, feeling a burning at the back of her eyes and a large lump forming in her throat.

"Love always," Maura spoke up.

Jane slipped the band onto her ring finger and relished the comfortable feel of the cool metal against her skin. She remembered the adjustment period she'd gone through after it broke. It had felt like she was missing something every time she stepped out of the house.

"How… how did you know about this?"

"Your mother," Maura admitted. She couldn't take credit for the entire gift. She had consulted Angela. Jane cast a curious glance towards Maura.

"You're difficult to shop for, Jane," Maura lamented, fearing that Jane would disapprove of her inquiring with Angela. The brunette snapped the jewelry box closed and dropped it on top of their piled coats. She reached out, cupping Maura's face once more and eliminating any space between them as she peppered the blonde's face with kisses.

"Thank you," Jane whispered, her voice quivering. Her thumbs swiped back and forth along Maura's jaw as her lips lightly brushed against hers. Maura's lips curled upwards into the embrace,

"I'm glad you like it."

Maura deepened the kiss, crawling her hands up Jane's front, caressing her neck and jaw line. She snaked her tongue out, sliding it along Jane's bottom lip, begging for entry. Once granted, she pressed forward, up onto the ball of her feet, raking her fingers into Jane's loose locks at the nape of her neck, pulling her down at the same time as she pressed up. Jane's fingers lightly dug into the tender flesh below Maura's ear, drawing a soft whimper from the blonde as their tongues chased each other.

Maura stepped forward, pushing Jane back against the front door. Her hands roamed down Jane's arms, and stopped at her hips. Maura poured herself into her kisses and the intensity of them always took Jane by surprise. She felt everything in those kisses. Jane could feel Maura's love course through her body from her fingertips to her toes. It overwhelmed her, and pushed her overboard. Maura pulled back as a salty tear fell to her lips.

"Jane?"

Maura swiped at the remnants of the tear as her eyes searched Jane's features. The brunette adamantly kept her eyes closed and breathed in deeply, exhaling a shaky breath.

"I'm fine… it's just all so much."

"Are you sure?"

Jane dipped her chin ever so lightly and hummed in agreement. She held her breath momentarily and allowed it to escape slowly as she felt Maura's warm lips erase any trace of that brief emotional slip. Maura gently kissed Jane's brow, pulling her down towards her. Only Maura could cull these moments from Jane. Never had she allowed those walls to come down for anyone. It was liberating and frightening at the same time. Never had she been so exposed and vulnerable. She buried her face in the crook of Maura's neck, molding her body to the petite blonde's form.

"Thank you just doesn't seem to cut it…" Jane mumbled, her lips grazing the sensitive skin just below Maura's ear. Light kisses followed her words which caused shivers to course down Maura's spine.

Maura tangled her fingers in Jane's locks, holding her close.

"I understand," she voiced, dropping her hand to entwine it with Jane's. The brunette squeezed her hand reassuringly. She couldn't suppress the delicate smile that fought its way onto her lips at the gentle tug from Maura.

"So… that promise?" Jane shakily laughed as a result of her emotions bubbling over.

Maura took note of Jane's attempt to lighten the situation and to steer it towards the bedroom. She would allow it this time because she could recognize that this overt show of emotions was a positive one. She pulled again at Jane's hand, taking a step back and urging her to follow her towards the bedroom.

"Come… I believe there's one last gift you have left to unwrap and I have a promise I need to fulfill."

Jane opened her eyes just in time to catch Maura saunter into her room as she unzipped her dress. She took a moment to let the heaviness of the situation wash over her before quickly kicking off her own boots and wasting no time to join Maura.

"Why'd you go and do that?" Jane waved at Maura's dress. Maura turned on her heels and slipped the dress off her shoulders, leaning forward and delicately pushing her pantyhose down. She looked up, attempting her most innocent look as she cast her eyes on Jane.

"Do what?"

Jane's mouth fell slightly open as her eyes roamed over Maura's scantily clad body. Her eyes dropped to the swell of Maura's breasts that peeked out from a black and leopard lace bra. She traveled down to the matching panties cutting just below Maura's hip bones. She soaked in the expanse of creamy flesh she yearned to touch. Maura would never grow tired of the fashion in which Jane devoured her. It caused goosebumps to spread like wildfire across every inch of her body.

"What's there to unwrap?"

Jane slowly licked her lips as Maura raised a finger, indicating for her to wait. Maura tiptoed around her room before pulling out a long and wide satin sash from her night stand. She busied herself with looping it around her hips as if it were a belt and tying a neat little bow at the front. Once finished, she looked up satisfied and smirked at Jane, throwing her hands in the air.

"Voila!"

Jane broke out into a wide goofy grin as she reached out for Maura's hand. Once she had secured her grip, she gave one gentle tug, pulling the blonde towards her.

"You're ridiculous," she muttered as her lips crushed Maura's. Jane smoothed her hands over Maura's hips, her fingers skimming the soft edges of her panties. She thumbed the satin sash as she moved her hands down, and grabbed Maura's ass, pulling the blonde against her. She smiled into the kiss as a small squeak slipped past Maura's lips.

Maura slipped her arms around Jane's shoulders as she reluctantly pulled back from Jane's lips with a delicate nip to the bottom one.

"You love it," she smirked.

A low growl rumbled in Jane's throat as she picked Maura up off the floor just enough to gently toss her down onto the bed. In the span of a minute and with her eyes locked on Maura, Jane reached up behind her and tugged on the back of her jersey, pulling it over her head and dropping it on top of Maura's dress. She briefly ripped her eyes off of Maura to look down at the clothing.

"Your dress is going to wrinkle," Jane warned, pulling off her tank top next.

Maura threw her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, giving her dress but a moment of her attention before looking up at Jane and curling her finger in a come-hither motion. Jane stepped towards Maura, nudging the blonde's knees open and positioning herself in between them. With her eyes locked on Jane's, Maura crept her hands up the length of the brunette's legs.

"They invented dry cleaning for a reason," she smirked playfully, hooking her fingers in the front of Jane's jeans before unbuttoning and pushing them down off her hips.

"I like the way you're thinking," Jane added, stepping out of her jeans and towering over Maura. She shivered as she felt the soft pads of Maura's fingers dance up the back of her legs, starting at the crook of her knees and traveling up her thighs.

"I generally have good ideas," Maura purred as she thumbed Jane's hip bones, following up with warm kisses to each.

"Mmhmm," Jane managed to get out, her eyes fluttering close as her hands found Maura's shoulders. As Maura grazed her lips along Jane's abdomen and up her stomach, her hands followed suit up her back. Jane sank one knee then the next down into the bed on either side of Maura, straddling the blonde's thighs.

Maura hovered her hands over Jane's shoulder blades, relishing the gentle ripple of the muscles beneath her touch before resting her hands on the back of Jane's shoulders. She anchored herself as she nuzzled her face into the vale of Jane's breasts, placing a feather light kiss to each along the borders of her bra up her collarbone to her jugular.

"Maur…" Jane breathed, her head dropping to one side as Maura nudged her jaw with the tip of her nose.

Maura made a small sound before languidly dragging her tongue over Jane's pulse point. Jane squirmed in her girlfriend's lap and reached up, firmly planting both hands on Maura's cheeks and pulling her face up to hers. Her lips hungrily brushed against the blonde's and her tongue sought out Maura's. Jane drank in the delicious taste that was Maura, soaking it all in, still committing it to memory every time as if it were the last.

Maura dropped her hands to her side and slowly started inching herself back towards the center of the bed. Her motions were slow enough to allow for Jane to scoot forward as she shifted backwards. Their kisses grew slower with each movement; Maura breaking it off as she continued, Jane reuniting them as she pushed forward, closing the gap anew.

"How did I get so lucky?" Jane mused to herself out loud, gently pushing Maura down into the pillows.

"Oh, I don't know…" Maura began in a light voice, arching her back and settling back into the bed, "Looking really good in a softball uniform… maybe it was the bike…"

Jane chuckled, running her fingers over the tops of Maura's exposed breasts.

"Maybe it's my irresistible charm?" she ventured, looking up and locking in on Maura's fierce hazel eyes.

Maura wrinkled her nose and licked her lips,

"Hmm, it definitely was the leather jacket now that I think about it."

Jane pushed herself up and feigned a pout. Maura shook her head and reached out, hooking her arm around Jane's neck and pulling her back down to shower her face with kisses as she laughed.

"You do look fabulous in the jacket though," Maura affirmed, capturing her girlfriend's bottom lip between her teeth and tugging gently.

Jane dropped down to one elbow, grazing her fingers down Maura's ribs, stopping at her hip.

"Oh, it'll make a re-appearance," she assured, sliding her knee under Maura's and pressing her thigh in between her girlfriend's legs drawing a surprised gasp from her lips.

"Good," Maura huffed, hooking her leg around Jane's, digging her heel into the back of her thigh, and pulling the brunette flush against her before pushing her weight forward and rolling Jane onto her back. The honey blonde brushed her hands up the length of Jane's arms, interlacing their fingers and burying their linked hands into the pillows above Jane's head.

Jane squeezed Maura's hands as she wiggled beneath her, strangely relishing this dominant streak Maura was exhibiting at the moment. Maura released one of her lover's hands and skated hers over Jane's ribs and back up underneath her to unclasp her bra. She quickly freed Jane of the garment and within the same movement, casted it aside and dropped down to kiss the top of her breasts. Jane inhaled sharply and only exhaled once Maura meandered her way back up. She slowly brushed her lips against Jane's before whispering,

"Do you trust me, Jane?"

The question took Jane by surprise, causing her to fumble over the answer for a brief moment. While Jane fought to get an answer out, Maura continued undeterred and peppered Jane's jaw with kisses.

"With everything I have," she answered, her voice quivering as Maura drew the brunette's lobe into her mouth and flicked it lightly with the tip of her tongue.

"Untie the sash," Maura instructed, straightening herself and sitting back onto Jane's thighs.

Maura smiled reassuringly at the questioning glance Jane cast her way. Jane reached out and carefully pulled at one end of the bow until it came undone. Once Maura's hips were freed from the sash, she bent at the waist and wantonly kissed Jane once more. A deep moan reverberated in Jane's chest as she leaned up, deepening the embrace. Maura skillfully pulled the sash from Jane's fingers, and stealthily gathered Jane's hands once more, bringing them slowly above her head. Their lips parted with an audible smack as both pulled away and breathed in deeply. As Maura sat back just enough to give her room to begin making the knots for the loops on either end of the sash, Jane closed her eyes and tried to squelch her top ego that would never _usually _submit to being in such a situation.

"Have you done this before?" Jane asked quietly, moving her fingers as the satin kissed her skin. She felt the tips of Maura's locks brush against her face as the blonde surely shook her head 'no'. She opened her eyes and searched Maura's face. The blonde took a moment to look down into Jane's eyes and stated,

"Men don't take too kindly to being tied up."

"Good point. Have you ever…"

Maura cut her off before she had the chance to finish posing the question.

"No, I haven't," she finished the bonds on either wrist, both individually wrapped in a zip flare knot with the common length of the sash hooked around one of the posts in Maura's headboard.

Jane tugged at the restraint, testing them out and was pleasantly surprised to see that they did not cinch onto her wrists or give in any way.

"Practiced?"

Maura smirked in such a way that always caused Jane's stomach to erupt in warmth as if a million butterflies were swarming to burst out.

"Maybe," she admitted sweetly.

"If anyone else had attempted this…" Jane attempted to put on her most threatening tone but failed miserably.

"I know," Maura hushed before stretching to reach for something on her nightstand.

"Blindfold?" Jane ventured a guess and was quickly rewarded with an answer as Maura discreetly slid a small object into the front of her bra.

"No… studies have actually disproven the myth that loss of sight heightens other senses…" Maura kept her eyes on Jane as she ventured back down to her exposed breasts. Her tongue dashed out, swiped along Jane's warm skin causing the brunette to delicately wiggle beneath her. Maura followed every flick by slowly sucking the area, releasing Jane's skin with a soft pop.

"Besides, I find it arousing to look up and see you watching."

Jane groaned, forgetting for a moment that her hands were tied and went to reach out for Maura's head but was met with restraint. She arched her back, subtly pushing her chest up closer to the blonde. An amused laugh filtered through her lips as she kept her gaze locked on Jane. One hand palmed one breast, her thumb slowly brushing over an erect nipple as her tongue swirled around the other. Maura glanced up as she engulfed the hardened nub into her mouth, sucking and delighting in the barely audible grunts coming from Jane. It was absolutely torturous for Jane not to be able to reach down and touch Maura, to grab her face and pull her up to her. The blonde watched as her girlfriend squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on her lower lip. Maura kissed her way up to Jane's collarbone, tracing the contours of it with her tongue before leveling herself with Jane.

"Not being able to touch you is a kind of pain of its own," Jane sighed, opening her eyes and losing herself in pools of darkened hazel.

"Patience," Maura whispered, her lips grazing against Jane's.

"Fuck patience," Jane groaned, lifting her head up and curling her tongue against Maura's lips, begging for her to eliminate the distance. Maura indulged Jane for but a moment. Even though Jane may not believe or think it, it was painful for Maura to break away and she did so with a delicate sigh. The feel of Jane's pillowy lips pressed against hers was heavenly and the taste of her was intoxicating. The sensation that blossomed in the pit of her stomach the very first time their lips touched had yet to abate and occurred every time, keeping her coming back for her fix, time and time again. She had given herself over, completely and utterly, to Jane Rizzoli.

Maura's lips left a trail of burning kisses in their wake as she inched slowly down, ensuring to leave no area untouched. Despite the small beads of sweat forming across her chest and over her brow, Jane shivered, her flesh covered in goosebumps. She bunched her fists as Maura's tongue laved over her ribs. Soft palms covered Jane's breasts as her girlfriend resumed her journey. Maura's slow and laborious exploration of Jane's body as if it were the first time she'd set hands on her was one of the things Jane most luxuriated in.

Jane pressed back into the bed, shifting her body and bending her knees at Maura's side. She was silently thankful that Maura had not insisted on restraining her legs as well. Maura snaked her arms under Jane's legs, her biceps gently caressing the back of the brunette's thighs. She smoothed her tongue over the curves of her love's hipbones causing Jane to hiss. Maura dragged her palms over the brunette's hips, lightly caressing the tops of her thighs as she kissed her through the thin fabric of her underwear. It was only after she'd pressed her lips to several inches of Jane's inner thighs that Maura slowly, painstakingly so, removed the last piece of clothing standing between her and a naked Jane.

Jane's eyes were trained on Maura as she rocked back onto her heels as she removed that last piece of clothing. As the blonde's hands glided over her knees, Jane could discern the hunger in Maura's eyes and it caused her entire body to buzz with anticipation. Maura slinked back up Jane's body, running her hands up the soft expanse of flesh now at her disposal.

"Maur…" Jane's voice came out just above a whisper. The want and urgency echoed in Maura's ears.

"Hmmm…" Maura hummed, brushing the tip of her nose along the length of Jane's jaw.

Jane dipped her head into the crook of Maura's neck, moving her tongue smoothly up to her pulse point then flicking the blonde's earlobe.

"Take off your bra," Jane obliged.

Maura leaned back onto her calves, and locked eyes with Jane as she nonchalantly removed the tiny bullet from the front of her bra cup and casually placed it next to Jane's hip on the bed. Jane attempted to catch a glimpse of what it was but still didn't manage to fully see it. She redirected her gaze to Maura as she reached back to unclasp her bra, delicately sliding one strap than the next down each arm before dropping the piece onto the floor. Once again, Maura crawled back up Jane's form, her breasts lightly grazing tone stomach muscles before pressing down into Jane's chest.

"Yessss," Jane groaned, arching her back into Maura, at once struggling against her restraints and marveling in the skin to skin contact.

Maura gradually dropped to one hip, now straddling one of Jane's legs, and allowing one hand to roam Jane's curves once more. She captured her lover's lips, hungrily searching Jane's mouth with her tongue.

Jane tipped her head back into the pillows, pulling away from Maura with a gasp as gentle fingers explored her arousal. Maura nipped at Jane's exposed collarbone before sinking lower and capturing one of her nipples between her teeth. Jane writhed under the smaller woman as she pleased her with tongue and fingers.

Maura assumed her position in between Jane's thighs once more, shifting her hips back as she did so that she'd be lying on her stomach. With her index flowing circles around Jane's clit, Maura inched closer with kisses, culling drawn out moans from Jane with her tongue.

"Fuck, Maur!" Jane gritted and was rewarded with a quick look up from Maura and a playful smirk.

Maura shifted her arms underneath Jane's thighs and up over her hipbones as she finally delved her tongue into Jane's wetness. Her eyes fluttered shut and a moan bubbled out of her throat, marveling in the taste. Her fingertips gently dug into Jane's hips, anchoring the brunette as she involuntarily bucked when Maura's mouth covered her and began to suck on her swollen clit. She continued to calmly lap and suck, snaking one hand back down and slowly pushing two fingers in, curling them up as she pulled them back out.

Jane bit down on her lip, pushing her head back against the headboard, lifting herself up by pulling on the restraints. At that moment, Jane happened to look down at Maura as she looked up. Maura kept her eyes screwed on Jane's flushing face as she replaced her mouth with her thumb. The blonde could tell from the way Jane's muscles were clamping down on her fingers and from the undulations of her stomach that she was nearing climax. She reached for the small discarded toy from earlier, turning it on with a click and slowly gliding it over Jane's clit as she continued to pump her fingers.

"Oh god!" Jane cried out, twisting onto one hip and back down, her mobility impaired by the satin sash kissing her wrists.

Maura pressed her lips lightly along Jane's inner thigh as the brunette was pushed over the edge, her orgasm taking over her body, sending her into a series of full body tremors. She quieted as she jerked beneath Maura, fisting her hands and riding out the orgasm. Maura slowed her finger thrusts, turning the bullet off and putting it aside. She smiled, pleased with herself, and lightly kissed Jane's center, causing her to jerk.

Maura sauntered her way back up, stopping to place light kisses along Jane's cool skin. Jane wasted no time in claiming Maura's lips with her own. Her orgasm still coursed through her body, curling her toes and causing her legs to feel like jelly. There was something unexplainable to Jane about how arousing she found it to taste herself on Maura's lips. Jane sighed and smiled into the slow exploratory kiss.

"Pulling all the stops tonight…" she whispered between kisses.

Maura beamed, brushing her lips against Jane's one last time before replying,

"It's somewhat implied in birthday sex…" she paused before adding on, "Or so I've read."

Jane burst out in a laugh, immediately rewarded with the mental image of Maura prowling the internet with searches of 'birthday sex'. Jane squirmed, once again, and tilted her head to look at her wrists and wiggled her fingers.

"Any chance I can be freed? I'm dying to touch you."

Maura glanced up to Jane's hands and smiled. She shifted up, now straddling Jane just below her breasts. She reached out, untying the sash and pulling Jane's hands to her lips. She spread the brunette's hands and placed light kisses to both palms and wrists.

Jane wiggled her fingers, and Maura released her hands. The tips of Jane's fingers kissed the soft skin of Maura's arms. She smoothed her palms over Maura's hips, hooking her fingers in the sides of her underwear.

"Stand up," Jane ordered with a nod up towards the ceiling.

Maura reached out, balancing herself on the headboard and slowly standing, stepped out of her underwear. Strong hands traveled up her legs and guided her back down onto Jane's chest, her knees crooking around the brunette's shoulders. Jane took a moment to relish this as she'd been wanting to do this for quite some time and finally the situation presented itself where it wasn't too awkward to demand it outright and Maura was always more than willing to obey gentle orders. Jane's hands rested at the small of her back, urging her forward until she could easily drag her tongue through Maura's hot center.

Maura breathed in sharply, her grip tightening around her headboard and her hips bucking forward down onto Jane's warm mouth. She hummed her approval as she tentatively leaned back, propping herself up on Jane's bent legs, her hands firmly gripping the taller woman's thighs. Jane's hands slid down, cupping Maura's ass and squeezing it, pulling Maura closer as she swirled her tongue around her clit before flicking the tip around her entrance, experimentally probing her tongue inside, curling it around. From the sudden twitch in Maura's lower half and the squeeze to her thighs, Jane knew to continue. She carried on tongue fucking her lover, reaching around Maura's thigh with one hand to rub her clit with her fingers.

Maura bent forward, using the headboard as a crutch once more as her hips thrust forward, riding Jane's face. The brunette eagerly pushed her tongue slowly through her girlfriend's slick folds, her hands firmly gripping the blonde's ass, anchoring her down. Maura writhed on top of Jane and bit down on her lip, silencing herself but Jane smirked hearing the beginning of what would have been a full blown 'fuck'. She skated her palms over Maura's abdomen and up her stomach, palming her breasts and rolling her erect nipples between thumb and forefinger.

Maura quietly began repeating Jane's name under her breath as her thrusts became erratic, only stopping as she reached her peak. Her orgasm crippling her entire body as it coursed through every limb, causing a muffled 'fuck' to finally slip out to Jane's content. Jane continued to suck and press her tongue against Maura's arousal until the blonde reached down, curling her fingers urgently into Jane's locks and pushing her head down into the pillows. She cast her eyes down, deeply breathing in and licking her lips. Jane looked up, gliding her hands up Maura's back, her fingers dancing across her spine as she looked into Maura's eyes. They remained silent for a moment, breathing hard and staring at each other.

"I heard that," Jane finally teased, nuzzling the inside of Maura's thigh and placing a light kiss there.

Maura blew out a sigh, realizing what had slipped out of her mouth and how pleased Jane must be with herself for finally coaxing it out of her. Jane chuckled at the shimmer in Maura's eyes and the red flushing her cheeks.

Maura waited until her breathing had stabilized and attempted to extricate herself from Jane as gracefully as possible. She toppled over instead to the side, her limbs failing her miserably in their post-orgasm state. She flipped onto her hip to face Jane and reached over, draping an arm over the brunette's chest to pull herself closer.

"Happy birthday, Jane," she smiled, kissing her cheeks, forehead, nose then lips.

Jane purred against Maura's lips, basking in the delicious post-coitus bliss as Maura once termed it.

"Best one yet," she also turned on her side to face Maura, "You've set the bar high now. You know that, right?"

Maura shook her head with a warm smile on her lips, before lifting herself up onto one arm.

"Covers," she pointed out, and Jane immediately caught what she was getting at. She also propped herself up onto one arm and they pulled the sheets down, crawling in underneath. Maura turned so that her back was to Jane and blindly reached behind her to find Jane's hand before pulling it over in front of her. Jane curled up to Maura's back, nestling her face into blonde locks, linking her fingers with Maura's.

"I'm glad you enjoyed your birthday," Maura mumbled, giving Jane's hand a gentle squeeze. She leaned back into Jane's body, allowing the taller woman to envelope her from behind. She'd never been one for after sex cuddling until Jane. There was something quite unique about melting into Jane's embrace. She felt safe in her arms, like nothing in the world could harm her as long as Jane was curled up to her body, her arm wrapped protectively around Maura's smaller frame. Jane sighed happily, nuzzling into the soft curve of Maura's neck and drifted off thinking about how she could most certainly find herself being at the beck and call of Maura's every whim and pleasure. Could it be that tough dominant Jane Rizzoli's indestructible fortress wall was being broken down? Jane had never thought it possible… until now.


End file.
